


Strings

by slumberjane



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexuality, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Guns, Harringrove, Monster Hunters, Monsters, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Scene rewrites, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Superpowers, abuse ( billy and neal ), explicit violence, other dimensions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-29 21:09:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20442578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slumberjane/pseuds/slumberjane
Summary: Ever since the disappearance of Will Byers, and his subsequent return from The Upside Down, Hawkins has not been the same. Officially, he had been lost in the woods. Officially. A series of events had been set into motion that would change the lives of everyone in that small town. The Ballard family had moved to Hawkins around the same time as this mystery was going on, and in the year since they had assimilated into society with ease. However, this family had a well-kept secret. With the anniversary of Will's decent into darkness coming up, the strings of fate were beginning to to weave together. And, with the arrival of another new family in town, anything could happen.





	1. The Distance Between

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this begins at the start of Season Two. The is an Alternate Universe story with some scene rewrites to include Original Characters. Please excuse the occasional tense slip, it's something I am working on ! There will be a lot of jumping around between character perspectives, and I will do my best to keep fully Original Character interactions ( meaning scenes without canon cast ) to a minimum. It will be a story that is driven by a BillyxOC relationship ( and therefore, perspective ), but a wholesome Steve friendship as well, which will eventually develop into a polyamorous relationship between the three. Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoy ! 
> 
> Also : Please note that while the story is sexually explicit at points, I will include warnings at the start of those chapters. By the time these events unfold, all related parties are eighteen.

**TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30TH**

The sickeningly sweet smells of maple syrup and citrus filled the air of the lively kitchen as Kass idly peeled an orange and watched her family flit about in the usual morning havoc. Both of her parents were locked in routine chit chat about what to have for dinner and who would be home from work first. They poured coffee and made flirty eyes at each other, still very much in love 20 years into marriage. She was lucky, her family was ideal and very close-knit. By no means were they wealthy, but they were fairly well-off and it truly was a blessing during such tumultuous times. She watched as her younger sister, junior Layla, was picking at her waffles while fiddling with her hair, trying to get it bigger and bolder. Peacocking, as she had come to call it. Layla was far more interested in the boys than Kass ever was. Still, they were close and she couldn’t help but hide a smile when her little sister turned to her.

“What do you think, Kass? Can they see me from the moon yet?” She grinned at the older girl as she took a bite of her waffles. Kass only nodded and tapped on her wristwatch expectantly. Their father looked up and peeked at the clock on the wall.

“Kassandra is right. You two need to get to school. And _we_ need to get to work.” He stood up to give their mother a kiss, and made a sweeping motion with his briefcase towards the door. “ Let’s go ladies. “.

All four of the Ballard family packed up, cleaned up, and headed to the door in an orderly fashion. Their parents bid them goodbye and hopped into their father’s truck, while Kas and Layla took their father’s “ fun car “. They were a typical loving family leaving to begin their normal every day lives. The facade that the Ballard family was able to maintain was impressive. No one would ever think that they might not be as normal as they appeared ; That this family might hold their secrets very closely.

The Buick GNX growled to life and she reached into the backseat, grabbing her father’s old military bomber jacket. It was starting to get cold out now that Halloween was quickly approaching. Slipping on a pair of dark sunglasses, they backed out of the driveway and began the drive to Hawkins High. As the two girls cruised the old Hawkins town roads, passing fields and old countryside paths, Layla continued to fiddle with her appearance in the passenger’s side visor mirror. The older of the two had never been known to spend a whole lot of time on her appearance. Make-up had never been something she had bothered with, outside of a little experimentation when she was in middle school. It was a lot of work and a lot of time that could have been spent elsewhere, like sleeping. Kass gave her sister a side-ways glance and smirked. “ You look great, Layla. “

“ Well, duh ! “ She said teasingly.

“ Who you trying to impress? "

" You KNOW I do it for me. It’s just a plus if the local cuties agree. ” The Ballard girl were both blessed with good genetics, light-medium olive skin and thick chestnut hair. Puberty had been kind, and it was no surprise that little Layla turned heads wherever she went. Kass was more than happy to let her sister have the limelight ; She couldn’t be bothered with chasing romance. “ Besides, “ Layla said, popping her lips after applying a fresh layer of gloss, “ Have you seen the new guy in town? “

Propping her elbow up onto the window edge against the glass, Kass adjusted in her seat and kept her eyes on the road, knowing that, if she didn’t know about him, she was about to. “ Billy Hargrove. “ Layla continued, “ Blonde curls, the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen, and the ass of a greek god ! " She was squealing at this point and Kass could only give her an amused smile from behind her sunglasses. “ A total dreamboat. I know you’ve seen him. “

“ Can’t say I have. “ The truth was, she had seen him around town, but really paid him no mind. She had been the new kid herself about a year ago.. When it came to moving to small towns, news travelled fast and the attention could be overwhelming. The Ballards had moved to Hawkins amidst the Will Byers mystery, and thus were relatively unnoticed in the chaos. In truth, it had been the Will Byers mystery that had brought them to Hawkins in the first place ..

Layla rolled her pretty green eyes at her sister and went back to primping for the rest of the ride. They pulled up into the parking lot and unloaded from the car. “ I’ll see you after class, Kass ! “ And off she went, leaving Kass gathering her school bag out of the back seat.

The school day went by without a hitch, as usual. Kass waved and greeted other students with a smile and wave as they passed each other in the halls. Throughout the day, she saw a plethora of orange fliers, and due to the conversation she had with her sister that morning, she was also much more aware of the people flocking to Billy as he walked through the halls with a bored expression. His eyes betrayed that boredom to her, even as the rest of his features expressed a man with rakish charm. He was handing out winks to the young ladies of their school like a real Casanova. Raucous and loud, he was rough with the guys, popular with the girls, and seemed like he was gunning for the top spot of Hawkins High. It was his first day at Hawkins High and he was already dripping with an air of superiority so rank, it smelled worse than the Hawkins cow pastures. In a small town like theirs, the class sizes were pretty small. They had classes together and passed each other often in the halls, but she was a ghost to him ; Something she was more than happy to be.

As Kass closed her locker to head to her next class, she got a tap on the shoulder. “ Kassandra ! “ It was Tina, with a large stack of orange papers. “ Are you coming to my party tomorrow night? It’ll be a lot of fun. “

“ Are you trying to get me sheet-faced, Tina? “ Kass laughed.

“ Everyone will be there. Besides, you hardly ever go to parties. Please come ! “

Kassandra waved the flier and smiled, “ I’ll think about it. “

She walked a little bit down the hall and saw Nancy Wheeler and Steve Harrington cuddling by Nancy’s locker. She gave them a wave and Nancy noticed the flier in Kass’s hand. “ Are you going, Kass? “

Nancy was a pretty, petite thing, but Kass knew how well she could handle herself in dangerous situations. Last year, she had tracked the DemoGorgon to the Byers home only to find that Nancy, Jonathan, and by pure accident Steve, had set an intricate trap for the monster. She had been very impressed with their courage, cunning, and gumption, but it had not been enough.

“ Oh, yeah, you should come ! It’ll be the party of the year ! " Steve said excitedly, releasing Nancy to wrap an arm around Kass’s shoulder and shake her a bit. “ Nancy and I are going, and I bet Layla got an invite, too. “

“ Thinking about it. “

“ Oh _come on_, “ Steve whined. Nancy gave him an exasperated look ; She always hated it when he was pressuring people. He rolled his eyes at her and gave Kass one last shoulder squeeze, “ It’ll be fun. We’ll wait for you and walk in together. “

“ I’ll _think_ about it, “ Kass said firmly with a smile and gave them a wave before walking off to her next class.

\---

After a day of droning through classes, Kass headed back out to the student parking lot, which was really just a glorified dirt clearing. She was accompanied by swarms of students who were extremely excited about the Halloween Party fliers that were handed out. Kass was notably less excited. It wasn’t that high school was terrible, despite the cliche. Kass was well-liked, though not what you would call popular. She was able to move about the halls relatively unbothered. There may be a handful of people whom she rubbed the wrong way, but it was a lesson to learn early on that not everyone was going to like you. Deal with and move on, or so her father always said. She’d had her fair share of bullies growing, kids who thought she was gay because she never conformed to typical girly things .. But this never bothered or weighed on her, and eventually those bullies grew up. Becoming friends with Steve Harrington may have helped her achieve an ‘ untouchable ‘ status, to some extent. No, Kass had other reasons to be unenthusiastic about school and the slice of life facade she found herself in.

It seemed that she had beaten Layla back to the car ; A pretty common occurrence. Out of the two of them, the younger was the social butterfly. It didn’t surprise Kass that she wasn’t there yet. Opening up the back door of the GNX, she tossed her bag inside haphazardly and popped her shades back on, opting to hop up and sit on the hood. From far away, it was easy to mistake her for some delinquent boy ; sunglasses, jeans, bomber, and t-shirt. But when she leaned back on her hands, chest towards the blue sky, that mistake was reconciled. Under all that, a modest femine figure took from. A few kids walking past bid her goodbye, to which she nodded and smiled. It wasn’t long until a lively flock appeared, a few rowdy boys and some clingy, fawning girls surrounding the hot ticket new kid. Billy has a cigarette hanging out of his lips, no doubt lit before he even left the campus of their school. He’d already garnered quite the bad boy rep amongst the whispers and gossip of Hawkins High. Kass turned to face them, and saw that one of those fawning dillies was Layla.

Billy seemed to be walking with them as though they were nothing but smoke. They clung to him and chattered away, but he looked distant, almost in a daze. Those people that had attached to him meant nothing to him, and it was easy to see. They were all kidding themselves, staring at him through rose-colored glasses. Every word that fell from his lips, every wink, every move he made was posted up on some grand pedestal. The almighty Billy Hargrove, and man of the world from sunny California, alleged party monster extraordinaire. It hadn’t taken him very long to take over Hawkins High, and he was acutely aware of that. She watched as he wrapped an arm around Layla and bent to whisper something in her ear. She blushed profusely, even Kass could see that at a distance with sunglasses on, to which she rolled her eyes and leaned back forward, resting her elbows on her knees. 

Layla turned around to see her sister watching and waiting patiently, said something quickly to Billy and the group, and began heading over to her, still blushing. It was at this moment that Billy watched her go, eyeing her ass as she walked away, and then lifted steely blue eyes towards her destination. They fell on her thick chestnut hair braided and slung over her shoulder, a slight breeze sweeping bangs out of her face, a pair of dark sunglasses never moving from his direction, and a slender form sliding off the hood of the car and opening the driver’s side door. She hung over the top of the door, never moving her gaze. Despite the sunglasses, they both knew there was some level of eye-contact, never breaking. When Layla reached her side of the car and got in, Kass slid gracefully into the seat and shut the door, finally breaking from him to talk to her sister and start the car.

As they drove past him, he kept his eyes on the driver, but Kass kept her gaze on the road. Billy couldn’t stop staring after the dark car, and took another drag off his cigarette. “Who’s that, “ he said bluntly taking a second drag without looking at the people he was talking to. Someone started talking and all he caught was the name Kass, blurring out the rest of the explanation given. Ultimately, neither of them cared about the other, but Kass was better at showing it. 

\---

Hawkins, Indiana. Had it been Tennessee, Mississippi, Kansas, anywhere else ; Billy Hargrove would have still hated it. But it was Hawkins, Indiana, and so it was Hawkins that would bear the brunt of his hatred. Altogether, the move in general drove his negativity. Life wasn’t perfect back in California, but he had his friends, the ocean, the comforts and memories that he could hold on to. In Hawkins, all Billy had was the stink of farmland and the accompanying redneck pedestrians. He felt trapped in the middle of nowhere and the idea that he might never feel the salty ocean breeze through his hair again was almost unbearable.

Anger flooded him when he heard the news of the move.

Superiority washed over him when he saw the town and met the people.

And finally, the last thing he felt as he strode into Hawkins High for his second day of school was Boredom.

Almost immediately on that first day, Billy was turning heads and gaining a lot of attention. He knew the game ; Handsome new guy rolls into town with the loud car and devil-may-care attitude? It was going to be all too easy to have this place under his thumb, and he intended to set a new record. The first day was a breeze and set the tone for everything to come. The second day? Well, he was practically being handed the crown. Everyone at the school knew his name by day two, and he was ready to really show off his wild side at the party that night. Outside of his home, Billy’s confidence never wavered. He could be who he wanted to be, and it was easy for him to fill the shoes of someone to be admired. The students at Hawkins High were so easy to win over, it was almost depressing. They were the vapid and uninteresting future farmers of America in his opinion. The girls could not compare to the ones he left at home and the so-called party boys were simply neanderthal.

Billy got the notion that he was going to be horribly disinterested in everything having to do with Hawkins until the day he packed up and left. He spent his classes seated in the back of the class, propping his feet up on whatever was nearby. The teachers never said anything and he had the feeling that they weren’t used to such blatant disrespect from a student. Maybe they figured he was still adjusting or maybe not too thrilled with the move? While they might have been right to some degree, they were in for a rude surprise when his attitude did not change later down the line. This was who Billy was, and it wasn’t going to change. The students loved him ; Who cared if the teachers didn’t?

The school day was a blur to him, but that night’s Halloween party was going to be burned into his memory for the rest of his life.


	2. Sheet - Faced

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a long one, please enjoy !  
**Mild blackmail/pressure situation**

**WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 31ST******

Halloween fell on a Wednesday that year, and it was odd to Kass that Tina would be throwing a crazy rager in the middle of the week, especially when most of them would end up too hungover to even get out of bed the next morning. Despite this, she had allowed Layla to persuade her to go for two reasons. One, she hadn’t been to many parties throughout highschool and it was her senior year, and two, Layla would need a reliable ride to and from. Yes, she believed Layla was smart and could handle herself, but there was no harm in very mild babysitting. Kass trusted her sister very much, but sometimes things happen outside of their control. Better to lean on the safe side. Layla had also convinced Kass to allow her to doll her up a bit. She turned down the option to wear a costume, but it turned out that a little lipstick and eyeliner went a long way. Effectively transformed into a whole new person, she barely recognized herself in the bathroom mirror with makeup on. Dare she say, she looked rather nice ! Running her fingers through her bangs and sweeping them to the right and out of her face, she donned some sunglasses and grabbed her Keys. 

Layla came bounding down the stairs in a borderline skimpy Snow White costume, to which their father told her to grab a jacket and not to climb any ladders. They bid their parents farwell, having been very forthright with their parents about that evening's activities, and got in the car. “ Oh my gosh, Kass, you look _hot_ ! Still mad you didn’t dress up, though. “ Layla was practically giddy. She was thinking about all the dancing and drinking, and all Kass was thinking about was trying to enjoy the party.

“ You know the rules. “

“ Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don’t get wasted, don’t go home with anyone, no drugs, and meet back at the car when it’s over.” She made a taunting motion in the air as though she were checking off a list. “ Just try to have fun tonight, okay? “

** **** **

“ Packing? “ Layla nodded solemnly, pulling out a can of hairspray, a lighter, and a small hunting knife. 

** **** **

“ The usual. Gotta keep my hair looking nice after all ! “

** **** **

Parking the car a few houses away from the large home of Tina, they both approached the house, which was already in full swing. Steve and Nancy had just arrived as well, and they exchanged hugs with Layla. Steve smiled and tugged at one of Layla’s puffy blue sleeves, “ Layla, look at you, “ And then tipped his sunglasses down at Kass and laughed. “ Miss Kassandra Ballard ! You clean up nice ! “ 

** **** **

Kass blew him and Nancy kisses and smiled, “ You’re just responding to the lipstick. “ Nancy laughed and urged them inside, though there was something on her face that seemed almost akin to dread. As they walked in, they had a clear view to the backyard where an intense keg stand was taking place, the crowd cheered and counting down until the participant dismounted and roared into the night sky. He was triumphant and hollering, beer dropping down his bare chest as the crowd screamed along with him, hailing their party king : Billy. Nancy rolled her eyes and Steve did nothing, watching the scene play out from behind his sunglasses. As soon as their gazes met, Billy pushed his way through the crowd towards them in an aggressive manner, flanked by a couple of party boys from their school. He said nothing as he loomed before them, locked in a staredown with Steve as the others taunted away.

** **** **

“ Got ourselves a new keg king, Harrington. “

** **** **

“ Yeah, that’s right ! “

** **** **

“ Eat it, Harrington ! “

** **** **

During this exchange, Layla was breathless at the sight of Billy’s beer-slick body and Kass did not betray any emotion, much like Steve. Nancy, however, looked frustrated as she separated from the group and walked away towards the kitchen. Kass lifted her sunglasses to the top of her hair and grabbed Layla by the upper arm, pulling her back and away from the group. Getting the hint, she shrugged herself out of her sister’s grip with a disappointed pout, “ Okay, okay. I’m going to find my friends. “ She tuned to leave as well, and the movement of the two girls departure broke Billy’s stare. He gave her a wink and then, for a brief moment, he looked towards Kass, locking his ice blue eyes to her honey browns. Confusion flashed across his drunk face, but he had little time to process it as Kass squeezed Steve’s shoulder and left. The New Keg King found himself staring after her with a bad case of deja vu. 

** **** **

Moving through the crowds, many people stopped to say hello and comment on her makeup, which was causing her to wonder if she really should start doing it every day. She was positive that Layla would be more than happy to help her learn. A passing party goer laughed and handed her a beer as she passed by, to which she lifted the cup and nodded a silent thank you before continuing through. People were having a wonderful time around her, and the feeling was contagious. Kass found herself smiling like an idiot as she drank and danced around a bit with her fellow students. It was a good feeling to let go and just have fun.

** **** **

After squeezing her way through the crowds, she found herself outside. The brisk Halloween air was refreshing after being huddled in a crowd of moving, breathing bodies. It was amazing how quickly a place could heat up when everyone was wasted. Her breath was warm on the cold air, causing a small puff of fog to release from her mouth. Tina, Carol, and Vicki were standing nearby, and waved her down. Kass never thought of highschool girls as enemy material, but she did not go out of her way to appease them either. Tina caught Kass by the hand as she was walking by and beamed up at her through a red haze of drunk. “ Kaaaassssandra ! “ She exclaimed in a high-pitched squeal that could have shattered glass. “ I can’t believe you made it, oh my _GOD_ you look so amazing. Carol, Carol, doesn’t she look nice? “

** **** **

“ Sure, Tina. “ Carol said, obviously not as drunk, but still not feeling quite as friendly.

** **** **

“ Vicki, VICKI. Doesn’t Kassandra look sexy? “ Tina beamed, sashaying from side to side in a suggestive manner. Vicki only rolled her eyes, gave a scrunched, forced, fake-smile and sauntered off with her arms crossed. Carol rolled her eyes and chased after her friend, leaving Tina with Kass. The drunker girl immediately linked her arm into Kass’s and smiled. “ Don’t listen to her. “

** **** **

“ She didn’t say anything. “

** **** **

“ Exactly, girl. You’re so smart. “ Kass put an arm around her waist to steady her a bit, “ Are you having fun? “

** **** **

“ So much fun, “ she replied with a soft and sincere smile. “ Are _you_ having fun? “

** **** **

“ UGH YES. “ Tine reached up and grabbed Kass by the jacket with both hands and shook her slightly. “ Everyone looks so good tonight, so pretty ! “ She pulled Kass closer, and the latter could only laugh slightly. “ I mean, have you seen Billy tonight. What a total babe. “

** **** **

“ I mean, I wouldn’t call- “

** **** **

“ TOTAL. BABE. “

** **** **

It was like summoning a demon. Emerging from the house, Billy formed out of the haze and cast a gaze around the area. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips languidly, a look of emotional detachment across his face. When his eyes fell upon the two girls, Kass practically supporting Tina’s entire weight, that dazed boredom ignited with a flame of predatory curiosity. He watched with piqued interest as Tina continued to be erratically drunk and Kass attempted to keep her upright while consistently spilling beer from her cup. Despite how drunk he was, Billy was sharp as a tack. It was not his first keg, and he would argue that he was even more in control when inebriated. He lived his life in a constant search for that adrenaline rush ; something to make him feel alive. Just that afternoon he had felt the rush of madness after nearly mowing down his brat step-sister’s hick friends on the drive home. Tonight, egged on by the crowds and fueled by the alcohol, he felt the burden of the duality of humanity. He was bored, he hated all of these people, and he would watch them all burn in a second, but he also felt like a king and relished the admiration and attention. All hailed, except this girl before him. He had sensed something in her eyes that he recognized and identified with, but rarely saw outside of his own reflection. Detachment. Disinterest. Even from a distance and behind her sunglasses, he felt it like a primal instinct.

** **** **

They had not noticed him watching yet, and Billy took his time to observe. Kass had a strong jawline, almost masculine, but it complemented her other harsh features. She wore a minimal amount of makeup, and her eyeliner made her narrow golden eyes pop. He hadn’t expected the color. The one and only other time he had seen her was from a distance, and with sunglasses on no less. How long had he been in Hawkins? It seemed like a lifetime already in that boring sinkhole of a town. Despite that, he couldn’t remember seeing her before that day in the parking lot. “ Very under the radar “, he noted to himself. Billy has been puffing on his cigarette the whole time he’d been watching them, and having burned it to the filter, he flicked it away from him into the grass of Tina’s backyard before stomping it aggressively under his boots. 

** **** **

In the peripherals of her eyesight, Kass saw a form moving towards them and turned slightly to face the oncoming storm. Hawkins High’s newly crowned Keg King was making his way over to them. His body moved with clunky arrogance and his eyes held a darkness in them that could have been either intoxication or something much worse. When Kass turned, so did Tina, who was immediately beaming upon seeing Billy. “ Billy, heeeey, “ She said, trying to straighten up and running a hand over her hair and down her nurse costume. “ Are you having a good time? It’s a great party, right? “

** **** **

“ Yeah. Great. “ He replied quickly and dismissively, never looking at Tina. His eyes were locked on Kass. Instead of moving to help Kass steady Tina, he reached out a hand and took Kass’s drink from her. Half of it was already on the ground anyway, but she did not care for the forcefulness of the action. “ What a waste of beer, “ he said, right before slamming the rest of the drink down and tossing the cup to the ground. Kass raised an eyebrow at this comment, observing that he was wearing more alcohol than she could imagine him drinking. Then again, he was on that keg stand for twenty-two counts. Perhaps it was about the same amount.

** **** **

Kass hefted Tina up, now that she wasn’t constantly moving about, and guided her over to a porch chair. Depositing the young woman who could only smile up and slur out a thank you, Kass bent down to adjust her into a more comfortable position. Billy followed them, crossed his arms over his chest. “ So, what. You the babysitter or something? “

** **** **

“ You’re so funny, Billy ! “ Tina giggled before Kass could answer.

** **** **

“ You must be, since you’re carting this mess around. You even came in with baby Harrington and his princess, if I remember correctly. “ Kass was surprised he could remember anything, but she said nothing. She was still bent, straightening Tina up in her chair when we walked closer, so close that the denim of his jeans brushed against her shoulder. Standing straight up, she could feel his breath on her face. He was dangerously close as he leaned into her ear. “ And that sweet little thing you manhandled away from me. “

** **** **

Fierce eyes met his at the mention of Layla, and he gave her a smug smirk. “ How have we not met before? “ He whispered, mischief dancing on his features.

** **** **

Tina laughed, causing an abrupt break to the building tension. Kass’s stare broke, causing her to look down at Tina, and Billy took this as defeat and stood a bit straighter in order to impose his superior height upon her. After making sure Tina would stay in the chair, Kass walked away briefly to fetch a cup of water at the backyard drink station nearby. He kept watching her, licking his lips as she moved about. She handed the cup to Tina, and turning to Billy briefly as he shifted his weight into a cocky lean, walked away to the sound of his barking laughter. There was something about that girl that seemed almost mildly threatening, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. He watched as she was stopped briefly by Vicki, and there was some kind of exchange he couldn’t hear. However, judging by their body language, it wasn’t a good one. Vicki could be cruel and she seemed to spit her words at Kass, who only shrugged, very much to his delight. Then, he witnessed the tell tale motion of a drink about to be thrown in someone’s face. 

** **** **

It was almost like slow motion, Kass’s braid moving with the motion of her body in the slight breeze. Vicki shifted her weight forward, hand motioning to spill the drink on the other girl, and in the same motion Kass put her hand out to move the cup in a different direction and stepped out of the path. At the same time, her shoe caught the back of Vicki’s heel and forced her to stumble back in an exaggerated manner, most likely due to her drunken state. The drink splashed everywhere, but by the time any witnesses could process the event through intoxicated brains, Kass was gone. Color Billy slightly impressed. In the flash of a moment, Kass had shown a subtle hint that she was not someone to be trifled with. He wondered if she had seen her fair share of fights in the past. 

** **** **

“ So, “ Billy said to no one in particular, “ Kass thinks she’s a badass. “

** **** **

“ Whhuuut? “ Tina trailed. 

** **** **

He ignored her.

\-----

After walking back into the house, Kass bumped into Jonathan who was carrying a very drunk Nancy. She looked upset and her white blouse was covered in red punch. She could hear the younger girl muttering something about ‘ bullshit, bullshit .. ‘ as they were moving. Kass stopped Jonathan briefly, a confused look her on her face “ Everything okay? “

** **** **

“ Oh yeah, don’t worry. “ Jonathan said with a soft smile. “ Steve took off and asked me to get Nance home. “ He cast a glance around the rowdy house and looked a bit concerned. Then, turning back to Kass he shrugged, “ Get home safe, okay? “

** **** **

Kass was left to watch them make their way out of the house and couldn’t help but feel a tinge of dread. It wasn’t like Steve to simply leave Nancy behind anywhere, and it also was very uncharacteristic for him to simply go without saying goodbye. He was a good boyfriend and a good friend, and it was typically his prerogative to make sure everyone got home safely. Something serious was going on, and it looked like it may have caused a fight. Hopefully, they would be able to work it out. Kass was beginning to regret her decision to come out to the party.

\-----

The sisters had an agreement to meet back at the car when the party was over. Kass had decided to head out there a little bit earlier and did not mind waiting for her sister to finish enjoying herself. There was a lot of trust between them, and she knew very well that little Layla could handle herself. To say that their parents ensured that they knew how to defend themselves was an understatement. She wasn’t worried. Before she had walked out of the party, Kass had snagged a cup of water and bummed a cigarette off of classmate to help sober her up. It had only been half a beer, if that, but she needed to kill some time anyway. She had also dug an old t shirt out of her trunk, poured a bit of water on it, and wiped the lipstick off of herself carefully with the help of the car’s side view mirror. It might have been a brisk night, only getting colder as the trick-or-treaters made their way home, but she opted to stand outside her car, leaning against it casually. The lit end of the cigarette burned brightly and every inhale gave her the feeling of being grounded. Tugging the collar of her jacket tighter around her neck, Kass heard footsteps approaching. She expected to see Layla, but instead her brown eyes fell upon the increasingly familiar shape of Billy Hargrove. When her eyes met his, he was taken aback by a creepy flash of gold, but he chalked it up to the glow of the streetlight nearby. This did not stop his advance. “ Well, look who it is. Badass Kass. “ 

** **** **

His cocky tone and the new nickname made her sneer a bit. It had been a few hours since their encounter at Tina’s and he carried himself in a much less threatening manner than before. Perhaps he had sobered up a bit? She finished the last of the water, tossed the cup into the open window of her car, and waved to him idly with the two fingers holding her cigarette. 

** **** **

“ You going to let me take that cigarette from you, too? “ She gave him a side glance before holding it out for him to take, which he did with a smug smile. “ So accommodating. You gonna just let me take whatever I want? “ He brought a hand up to tug on the end of her braid in a weirdly playful gesture, but she swatted his hand away. The moment was strangely endearing, though they hardly knew each other. He stifled a laugh, and she flashed a small smile.

** **** **

She turned to look at him, the quick smile fading. “ You need something? “

** **** **

“ She speaks ! “ He yelled into the night sky, throwing his hands up in the air, clutching the cigarette between his lips. “ You go to Hawkins? Or just pick up the kid there. “ He waved his hand amongst the cigarette smoke. “ Stupid question, of course you do. It’s the only school in this shithole town. “

** **** **

“ We have classes together. “

** **** **

“ I’ve never seen you. “

** **** **

Kass shrugged and gave him an amused smile, “ Lucky me. “

** **** **

This drew out another laugh from him. He rather enjoyed a girl with some fight in her. It was refreshing, to be honest. He was so used to girls throwing themselves at him. The idea that there lived a girl who did not exist to stroke his ego was thrilling. Billy saw it in her eyes ; it was plain as day. Detachment, boredom, disinterest? Now that was something he could relate to. 

** **** **

“Kaaaassssssiie ! “ A voice called out, “ I’m here and I am NOT even drunk. That drunk. “ Layla’s form materialized out of the night. Kass had been so preoccupied that she hadn’t even seen her come down the street. She was barefoot, opting to hold her heels in her hand and dancing slightly in each step as the gravel of the road pricked her feet with each step. “ Did you have f- oh ! Billy ! Hey. “ she was trying to play it cool, but neither of them were fooled. Layla’s bright green eyes darted back and forth between her sister and Billy, and her face went a bit red. “ I hope i’m not interrupting. “

** **** **

Her face had a brief flash of betrayal across it, but a quick look from Kass dissipated it. Naturally, Kass looked more amused than anything, and that reinvigorated Layla’s spirits. Before either girl could say more, Billy move forward, handing the cigarette back to Kass and wrapping an arm around Layla’s shoulder. “ No, no, princess. We were waiting for you. I wanted to say goodnight, Layla, right? “ He pulled her close to him, and she seemed to lose her cool upon touching his bare chest. She flushed so deep, he could feel the heat of her face radiating off and washing his skin. In a taunting pose, he brushed and leaned his face into Layla’s hair, smiling at Kass mischievously. It was enough to get a reaction out of Kass. She pushed off of the car and moved to the other side, yanking the passenger door open a little more aggressively than she intended to. Her face was stern and her eyes were hard, a look that Layla had seen before, but not often. Certainly not in reaction to anything a guy would do. 

** **** **

“ It’s time to go home, “ She said firmly. Her tone was unwavering.

** **** **

Layla gave her sister a pout, and when Kass did not move, she whined in defeat. Slowly and painfully, she pried herself from Billy and sulked over to the passenger seat, plopping down and crossing her arms like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Kass slammed the door closed with a definitive swing of her arm. Billy hadn’t seen siblings like that ; he certainly didn’t have that sort of relationship with the brat back home. Kass glared at him, and it sparked a bit of excitement in him. He’d been trying to get a rise out of her all night, and it seemed that the key was family. ‘ _How cliche_ ‘, he thought. She looked into the window at her sister and was satisfied to see that the younger girl was already starting to doze off. Kass made her way to the driver’s side and was about to open the door when Billy grabbed her by the arm and spun her around to face him. Shoving her up against the car roughly, and slipped his other arm around her waist and pushed his knee between her legs, lifting her slightly to the tip of her toes.

** **** **

“ I like a challenge, “ he said, a dark grin spreading over his face. Kass slapped a hand against his chest and tried to push him away, but he jerked her forward and pushed her back forcefully. He could feel the strength behind her push, but his was far superior. She wasn’t about to beat him in a test of strength. She locked eyes with him, defiance rising. “ Give me a kiss. “

** **** **

“ What?! “ She was shocked for a moment, before regaining her composure. Her voice dropped low in anger. “ No. “

** **** **

“ Kiss me, “ His eyes wandered to the car window before returning to her. “ And i’ll lay off of your sister. “

** **** **

Billy closed the gap between even more, his lips so close she could feel the ghost of touch. A whisper. He still maintained a vice-like grip on her arm, and Kass ran the numbers in her head. The situation could so south very quickly. 

** **** **

To Billy’s surprise, and to some extent Kass’s as well, she reached a hand up to his face slowly, gently. Running her fingers along his jaw in an almost tender motion that made his skin burst with goose-bumps, she slid her hand to the back of his neck, lacing her fingers into his thick blonde curls. With a small push of her hand, she closed the gap between them and her slightly-chapped lips, pink and raw from rubbing her lipstick off, met his. It was a soft kiss, something he was not accustomed to. He closed his eyes and with his arm wrapped around her waist, pulled her closer. He tried to deepen the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue, but was shocked back into reality when her fingers yanked vicously at his hair. At the same time, she shoved him hard with a force he had not been expecting. He stumbled back and Kass quickly opened the driver’s side door and slipped inside. 

** **** **

The engine of the Buick roared to life and he backed away from the vehicle before it sped off down the street. Billy rubbed the tender spot on his nape and started laughing loudly, not caring who could hear him. ‘ _Here I am, staring after this bitch again_, ‘ He thought. “ I LOVE a challenge ! “ He screamed after her into the empty night, licking his lips. The laughter faded and it left him frustrated. ‘ _Who the fuck does she think she is?_ ‘ Billy dug into his pocket and retrieved another cigarette, lighting it hastily before heading back to the party. While had watched her leave, he could feel the adrenaline and excitement fading, leaving him feeling detached and bored again. Kass took the excitement with her, and this realization got him angry. The party lay ahead of him, still going, and he had every intention of taking out his frustrations of the next available girl ready to get her brains screwed out. 

** **** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am currently working on a fun playlist of all the songs that I listen to while writing. They remind me of Billy, Kass, and them together. Let me know if that is something you might be interested in !


	3. On The Hunt

**WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 31ST**

The front door of the Ballard hom swung open as Kass made her way inside, Layla lightly dozing in her arms. She carried the younger girl with ease towards the stairs, only looking to see her mother sitting in the den, reading by lamplight. Cynthia Ballard looked over the top of her book and saw her eldest user he foot to push the front door closed. Kass gave her a toothy smile and a shrug in answer to her mother’s silent yet questioning face. Returning to her book, she opted to remain uninformed. Layla’s room was the first door on the right, a few feet from the staircase. She pushed the door open and walked inside, quickly depositing her sister to bed and pulling her little pumps off. A sound from behind her made her turn to see her father, David, in the door frame. He was fully decked in hunting gear and old military fatigues, and he was strapping on a military-grade kevlar vest. Smiling at Kass, he nodded towards the other girl.

“ Just a little drunk, dad. “ Her golden eyes looked at the vest and the firearm at his hip. “ We get a call? “

“ Tippecanoe River, a little Southeast of Buffalo. “ He said grimly, pulling on a pair of gloves. “ You riding? “

Kass nodded immediately. She needed something to take her mind off of the night.

“ Are you sure? You seem distracted “ Kass stood up and stretched her arms out. “ I can’t have your mind somewhere else while we are out there. 

“ I’m fine. It just turns out that- “ She shook her head and tried to pick her words carefully. “ I can handle a lot of scary shit out there, but teen boys?

Her father laughed and sighed, signaling understanding, and held up a hand to stop her. He didn’t need to hear anything else. David pointed down the hall. “ Meet you downstairs.” he started to walk off and then doubled back, “ Oh, uh, bring the flamethrower? “

Kass quickly headed down the hall to her own room nestled near the back of the second floor. The Ballard house was large and had a lot of privacy, for which she was very thankful. Both she and Layla had their own restroom, which was nestled between their rooms in a jack-and-jill style. Kass went inside and proceeded to remove the eyeliner and brush her hair out. She moved about her room with purpose, tossing her own kevlar vest onto the bed and gathering her things together. The memory of her kiss with Billy still lingered heavily on her mind. Kass almost laughed as she strapped on the vest. Where had her head been that night? She had caved into Billy, and she was sure he wasn’t going to let her forget it anytime soon.

When she made her way down the stairs, she could hear her parents speaking. “ -third call in two weeks. “ Their voices were hushed. “ Something is going on. “

It was hard for her to tell who was saying what.

“ The lab said they had it contained, but it’s growing, David. Something that size is going to take a massive show of force. “

“ You’d never get enough Agents in. I don’t think we even have enough local Agents for something this size. “

“ It’s pointless to go out, who knows how many - “ They stopped, spying Kass on the staircase. 

Her father cleared his throat, “ Hey Kiddo. Almost ready? “ His eyes were bright brown, almost flashing red when he turned to face her, but it quickly faded. 

“ Yeah, “ She said carefully. “ I just have to grab our loadout in the garage. “

“ Great, great. “ A beat, “ Meet you at the car? “

She nodded and walked away, but could hear them continue to bicker. The truth was, Kass had been feeling it for a long time. When they had moved to Hawkins, she could feel the dark pulses of the gate, and every day since. It grew stronger as the days went by, like a whisper against her skin growing more physical. The way her parents looked at her in that moment had been extremely telling : They wondered what was going on in her mind. Was the gate’s size directly related to her words and actions? There was no way for anyone to know but Kass. Deciding to ignore the way they were whispering around her, she walked out into the garage and pushed the button to open the door. As she did so, she closed her eyes until the sound of the garage door lifting ceased. When she opened them, they were glowing like two gold flashlights in the eerie, dark world she suddenly found herself in. 

The smell of dead, still air filled her lungs as she cast her eyes about the garage, a desolate dark version of home. There were spores floating through the air, and she walked to the opening. The sky was the color of a war-torn battlefield, red and blue, lightening bursting through a hellish landscape. There was no life around her, but as she gripped the frame of the door, she could hear the faintest whisper.

‘ Where .. are .. you .. ‘

She closed her eyes, released a breath, opened them. Kass was back in her world, but the ghost of that whisper was still with her. 

**THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1ST**

Billy had left Tina’s very late. He had thoroughly and roughly bedded Vicki that night, and had left as soon as she had passed out from the alcohol. It wasn’t a long wait. Sleeping next to someone, being around when they woke all dreamy and dazed ; That wasn’t his style. He was always gone before they woke. This was no different, though he was sure he would hook up with Vicki again after school the next day. That was, unless he he could hunt down Kass. After all, she did mention that she had classes with him. It almost felt like he should be flattered that she had noticed him, what with her seemingly devil-may-care attitude, but he dismissed the thought quickly. 

The rest of the morning passed in a daze. When he reached his house, he was thankful to find that everyone was asleep. He hadn’t expected anyone to be awake, and it was better that they weren’t. He dragged his feet to his bedroom, tired and slowly sobering up from the interesting night he had. His mind was running two million different scenarios and his emotions were a bit scattered. Kissing one girl and sleeping with a different one in the same night was not anything new to him. Back in California, and now in Hawkins, he had been a hit with the ladies. Girls his age threw themselves at him ; Bored housewives lusted after him. Billy had women all figured out. At least, he thought he did. Sure, there were girls who disliked him and maybe even hated him, but this was very different. Kass had almost seemed bored or dismissive, and it was like interacting with inner thoughts mirrored back at him. That was, until he had managed to pull enough strings to get her on the defensive. A grin spread across his lips as he remembered the angry look in her eyes when he had advanced on her sister. The memory of that kiss had him rubbing at the back of his neck again, but delight danced on his face. He laid down on his bed and wondered what she would have to say for herself tomorrow at school.

Before he knew it, the hours passed and he was driving his Camaro to the school with Max in the front seat. They were content to ignore each other as he blasted his music and drove like a madman down the country roads. The scenery passed by in a blurr, and he thanked whatever entity he could for that. It was boring and overly saturated in god-awful fields and homesteads. ' _Boring, boring, boring !_ ‘ His brain screamed at him as he thumped the steering wheel aggressively. When the school finally came into view, he breathed a sigh of relief and pulled into a parking spot. Max was out of the car the second he put it in park ; She hadn’t even waited for him to cut the engine before she sped off. “ Don’t be late ! “ He yelled after her, and then more quietly to himself, “ I will leave your ass here. “

Squinting in the morning light, he swept the parking lot. A lot of hungover and sick looking older kids, a lot of annoying little kids, and no black Buick. Someone made a comment about being so hungover, they thought they would die, to which Billy gave a smug smile. He didn’t get hungover ; Drinking was merely fuel to him. He closed the door to the Camaro and walked over to the school, ignoring a lot of the people trying to wave him down. When he sat down for the first class, a waste of his time, he scanned the room for the familiar head of brunette hair and honey eyes, coming up empty. 

“ Ballard. “ The teacher called, to be met with silence. “ Kassandra Ballard? “

His ears perked as eyes around the room fell on an empty desk near the back window. Now, his curiosity was piqued. The class droned on, and when it was finally over, the students rushed out into the halls to make the most of their five minute break. Kids were coming up to him left and right, talking about the party last night and going over the messy details again and again. He joked and flirted, he played his part of Hawkins High King. Rowdy, loud, mean ; He fit into the role so easily, and it was no different from who he was back in California. A popular kid, a bully, and notorious already for bedding down every girl who saw him, Billy was ruling Hawkins. In such a small town, it was all too easy. There was no challenge in Hawkins. Well, save for one. 

After gym class had finished up with him wiping the floor with a dethroned king Harrington, Billy came out of the steamy locker room and shook his curls a bit. He could see Steve nearby, at his locker, looking very distraught. Was the embarrassment really that upsetting? The more interesting thing was the young lady next him, visibly consoling him with a delicate hand on his arm. Her big green eyes were concerned as he seemed to be dodging her questions. Like a predator catching a glimpse of a meal, Billy was upon them in no time. He slammed Harrington’s locked shut so loudly, it made both of them jump. Then, he leaned his arm against it casually, amusement dancing all across his face while icy eyes pierced Laya.

Steve began to push off of the locker he was leaning on. “ Man, I really don- “

“ Listen, Harrington, “ Billy said, placing a hand on Steve’s chest and pushing him back against the locker aggressively. Steve’s back made contact, but he did not move to retaliate. ” As much as I love our little heart to hearts, i’m not here for you. I just need to talk to Layla. “ He gazed down at her and tilted his head casually, gesturing for her to come with him. She looked a bit hesitant, “ Come on. “

Steve looked at her as well, ready to step in at her word. “ It’s okay Steve, “ She said cautiously. “ Billy is my friend. “ Steve rolled his eyes, straightened his jacket with a huff, and began to walk away. “ I’ll call you later, “ She said as he left, to which he gave no response. 

“ Don’t lie to him. “ Billy sneered.

Layla ignored him, staring after Steve for a moment, before turning to Billy and smiling. “ What can I do for you, Billy? “ He could tell that she was doing her best to act cool, her obvious attraction to him coming through with every flutter of her eyelashes. Every fiber of his being told him to go in for the kill, to flirt and seduce this pretty young woman. However, he made a promise to steer clear. In this case, it was more like a business transaction and he felt the need to hold true to his word. He said he would keep his distance, and he intended to. Sexually, anyway.

“ I’m looking for your sister. “

“ Kass? “ She said, taking a step back and looking confused. “ Why? “

“ What do you remember from last night? “

“ Well, I remember you and I getting cozy by the car.” She placed a finger on her chin while she tried to remember. “ I remember Kass being a total buzzkill, and I remember getting _in_ the car, but that’s it really. “

That all seemed to check out to him. He pushed off of the locker and smiled at her. “ I got worried when she wasn’t in homeroom this morning, that’s all. Worried that something happened on the way home, since you both were drinking. “

“ Oh, uh, wow, Billy. That’s actually really sweet of you. “

“ What can I say, it’s only been a few days. You don’t know the _real_ me. “

“ You’re totally right, “ She tapped her head with a smile. “ Duh ! “ As they walked, she clutched her books to her chest, seemingly distracted.

“ So where is Kass? “ Billy’s tone was insistent, his curiosity growing stronger with every passing moment. 

“ Oh, she had to miss school today. Our dad is sick and sees a specialist in another town .. “ She trailed off a bit, worry crossing her face. “ Anyway, she had to drive him to the doctors. “ 

‘ Disappointing ‘, He thought. Thankfully, Layla didn’t ask him what he needed her for again. She still looked like she was putty in his hands, though, so he pressed her for a bit more information. “ Come on, I’ll walk you to class. Not much of a talker, is she. “

Layla’s eyes glazed over a bit, “ No, not since- “ She stopped abruptly, almost catching herself. “ Kass doesn’t like to waste words. She’d rather get right to the point “ When she had stumbled over her words, Billy couldn’t help but notice her eyes seemed to flash a bright green, but only for a split second. Was his brain playing tricks on him, or did the same thing happen with Kass the night before? 

“ I like her style. Skip the foreplay and get right down to business. “ 

Layla laughed and then pointed at the door, “ Anywaaaay, this is me. “ Layla turned to look at him and had a bit of a shy smile on. “ Do you think we could, uhm, you know. Go catch a movie sometime? You know, like you mentioned the other day? “

A confused look crossed his mind, and then sudden realization. He vaguely remembered mentioning something about a date to Layla at his car on the day he met her and mentally slapped himself. It wasn’t like him to disappoint a fan, but in this case he felt honor-bound to do so. “ Layla, i’m gonna have to raincheck. “ He offered a charming and semi-apologetic smile.

“ Alright. Another time, I guess. “ She looked disappointed, but smiled anyway. “ I’ll see you around? “

He nodded in response and gave her a wink as she dipped into the classroom. His mind was racing with questions, and the conversation had only proved to be taxing for him. Every piece of information he got only brought about more questions. It was irritating and he was sure it was visible on his face as he stalked off towards his next class.

By the end of the day, Vicki had found him and was rattling on and on about how much fun she had last night and how she would love to hang out after school. Her chatter was deafening and he simply tuned it out, giving her nods and yeses, pretty sure he agreed to spend some time with her after school that day like he had guessed would happen. What did he care? All these girls were the same. The end of the day couldn’t arrive faster. He was walking quickly back to his car, not caring whether or not Vicki was keeping up with him. She had to practically run and skip to keep up with his pace. However, upon reaching the car and seeing that Max was not there, he paused. He clenched a fist and then lit a cigarette impatiently. Vicki stood nearby, obviously a bit uncomfortable with his silence. 

Another fifteen minutes and two cigarettes passed. “ So .. your sister coming or what? “

“ Screw it. “ Billy said finally, opening the car door. “ That little shit can skate home. “ He quickly followed up with, “ And don’t call her that. “

“ What? “ Vicki said as she opened her own door.

“ Sister. She’s not my sister. “ The statement was flat and harsh. No other words were said as he peeled out of the parking lot loudly. He was not in the mood to talk, especially not to some throw-away chick. The following day, he couldn't help but noticed the missing car in the parking lot once again. Kass never showed up for classes, and Billy found himself slightly irritated. However, he decided not to linger on that. There was a whole school full of girls who would bend over backwards for his attentions. He couldn't allow one girl to derail him, no matter how compelling she had been. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed !
> 
> If you are interested in listening to the playlist that I use while writing for this story, you can find it on Spotify. Just search for " Strings ( Stranger Things ) ". I add and take away from it all the time ! It's multi-genre.


	4. Strangers

**SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3RD**

Something big was brewing in Hawkins, Kass could feel it. It rumbled deep inside her very nervous system and felt so invasive, her skin crawled. The darkness was inescapable, creeping and killing everything in its path. They had arrived back in town early Saturday morning, beaten and exhausted. The last couple of weeks had left her feeling strange, but it had not hit her hard until they drove back into Hawkins. David had noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor : From a triumphant yet tired soldier’s posture, to that of a hunched over teenager battling a would-be migraine. However, he kept his silence, knowing all too well what a sudden shift like that could mean. Both of them were dirty and bloodied, sporting burn marks, cuts, and bruises. David’s arm was bandaged up to the elbow, a little dried blood having seeped through the wrap. Beneath, some crude rushed stitches. Kass herself had a strange thick bruise wrapping its way around her neck and the side of her cheek and few burns across her hands, arms, and legs. 

“ We did good work back there. “ David said, cutting the silence. “ _You_ did good work back there. “ 

Kass did not respond, but she couldn’t help thinking, ‘ _Not good enough._ ‘ 

When they pulled up in the car, it was close to 1AM. She pulled her jacket on and grabbed a scarf out of her dad’s cab, wrapping it snugly around her neck. “ I’m going to take a walk, “ She said quietly. 

“ Are you sure? It’s cold and we could both use a bath .. And your mother’s medical expertise.” He chuckled and lightly rubbed his daugher’s shoulder. 

“ I’ll be back. “ 

“ Alright. Take something with you, though. “ He looked slightly concerned, both of them knowing that the wild fields of Hawkins were not safe in the dark. Kass smiled and pulled out an ASP 9mm handgun and holster from the bag in the truck. She tucked the holster into the inside of her jeans, concealing it from sight and checking the safety on the gun before she stashed it. She also grabbed an extra clip and pocketed it. Waving to her father as he went into the house, she took off down the country road that led to their modest little property, the chill in the air feeling good against her skin. The wind bit a little against the bruise on her cheek, but she ignored the sting. Her father was right, they _had_ done good work, but they could have done _better_. It had been their least successful hunt in a long time, and she blamed it on herself. 

_“ Hold it right there ! “ The police officer shouted, training his gun on them, shining a flashlight over the two of them menacingly. “ Drop your weapons and identify yourselves ! “ He was a little shaky, having been called out after some strange noises had been heard up the river. David set the shotgun down in the soft riverbed dirt and raised his hands over his head, a nervous look dancing in his eyes. Kass had her hand against a tree, which was supporting her weight, and the other on her temple. There was a dark look in her eyes, almost angry. _

_“ Whoa, whoa there officer. We’re just hunters. We’re not hurting nobody. “ _

_“ Stay where you are ! “ He was shouting, and the only thing Kass could think was that he was being too loud. She looked crazed, covered in fresh black and blue ooze, burn marks still singing on the sleeve of her army fatigues. The body of a strange creature lay near her, dark liquid splattered across it and strange skin glistening in the lighted beam of the flashlight. “ What exactly are you hunting that makes those kinds of noises, huh !? “ _

_Kass’s gaze was shifty, she was searching for any movement around them. Her father’s arm was bleeding badly, missing a huge chunk out of the forearm. Blood was in the air and_ they _would be back. “ Listen, buddy. My daughter and I are just hunting, I swear. “ Her father continued to talk softly and calmly to the police officer, who was growing more and more uneasy with the situation. _

_An ethereal and demonic shriek rang out in the night, causing the officer to falter and a terrified look cross his features. The ground beneath them began to rumble and the soil began to give way a few feet from them. Something was clawing its way out of a strange wall of slithering tentacle-like vines. David rolled and grabbed his shotgun and Kass leveled the flamethrower’s torch at the monster just a moment too late. Faster than they had ever seen them move, one of the slithering vines from the pit shot out like a whip and caught Kass around the throat. It wrapped itself around her neck slapped painfully across her cheek, yanking her hard to the ground. Her eyes went wide as it began to drag her by the throat back towards the tunnel, kicking and writhing frantically. The officer panicked and began firing his gun at the vine, too distracted to see the dog-like monster running at him. _

_She was gasping for air, her vision grew blurry. And then a loud gunshot went off near her ears, causing them to ring for what felt like an eternity. David wiped her hair out of her eyes and was saying something, but she couldn’t quite make out. All she could see was the blasted half of the vine laying on the ground, and the Officer was gone, leaving only drag marks leading to the strange tunnel. _

_“ ...ss.. Kass… KASS. “ _

Her hand shot up to her neck when the memory passed. That man probably had a family, a life. He was just doing his job and they hadn't been able to save him. It was a blow to her spirit. The fact of the matter was that they couldn’t have done anything, and it wouldn’t have happened if he hadn't shown up. Still, it was a hard pill to swallow. Losing a bystander was always hard, and made worse due to the imminent clean up process. The fact that her mind was wandering to the aftermath made her feel sick, as though that dead man was nothing more than some bureaucratic headache. He had been a human being, and the fact of the matter was : They had made it out alive, and he had not. Before the officer had arrived, they had managed to kill two of the fledgling monsters. Those bodies had been quickly loaded up in the truck bed, and her father called in the location of the vine-tunnel on a radio that was tuned in to a very specific frequency. He had used code, which she had not caught due to the ringing in her ears. There was no human body to be found, but their contacts are going to have a field day regardless. After all, he’d been a police officer. 

This was too close to home, and something was telling her that it was all leading back to Hawkins Lab. Again. 

The 3AM still was broken by the sounds of a monstrous revving engine and booming rock music. Billy had been lost in the zone, driving and riding out the high from that night’s conquest. Once again, he had left before his partner had awoken. Maybe he was a little tired, but for the time being, his mind was at ease. A good lay was enough to push down his energy and aggression most of the time, and he felt level-headed. Ever the chain-smoker, a cigarette hung between his lips, burning slow. Perhaps it was cliche to smoke after sex, but it was something his body craved constantly. He had fully expected a dark, cold, early morning drive devoid of human interaction. A few birds flew up as he sped by, creating a creepy ambiance and causing him to lose focus on the road for a split second. It was then that she saw someone walking on the side of the road. They were hunched up, probably due to the cold, and walking very slowly. He could see clouds of fog forming around them, due to their breathing. 

Then, the person turned to look at the vehicle and his headlights shone across their face, greeting him with a curious golden flash. The confused face of Kassandra filled his vision, and he felt his heart rate jump at seeing her. It felt like seeing a ghost. He immediately pumped his brakes and the car passed her, coming to a full stop a ways up the road. There he sat, with his hands on the wheel, frozen. She had been missing from school for two days, and now she turned up on some backroad on the outskirts of town at 3AM in the morning? Something didn’t sit right. It was dark, maybe she hadn’t recognized his car yet. Billy got out and shut the door, leaving the headlights on to provide a little visibility. He took a deep drag on his cigarette as she grew closer, stuffing his hands in his pockets. What would he even say? 

Kass immediately recognized the shape of Billy outlined in the headlights of his car. The warm exhaust had been throwing out fog, which was quickly dissipating into the darkness. It was eerie, something she was very accustomed to, and yet she kept moving towards him. He was parked right in her way. She tucked her hands into her pockets and brushed the inside pocket against her hip, feeling relief at the hard shell of the firearm hidden there. She approached cautiously, almost like an animal on alert. Billy could see it clearly in her body language and the way her eyes never left him. An amused grin spread across his face, and when she finally came into full lighted view, she stopped to face him a good few feet away. 

“ Oh, don’t be like that, “ He teased. 

“ Be like what? “ Kass responded casually. Even though she was feeling inexplicably unlike herself, he seemed much less threatening than the other night, which prompted her to move a little closer. She put two fingers to her lips in the universal motion known to all cigarette smokers, and he held it out to her. She took a long, deep drag before returning it to him, smoke billowing out of her nostrils, looking almost dragon-like in the headlights, eyes glowing gold. He was taken aback slightly by the sight of her : Kass was beautiful to him in that moment. 

“ You forget about us already? “ 

“ Can’t forget about something that doesn’t exist. “ Her words might have been mean, but her tone was almost playful. 

“ Ouch, “ He tapped his chest over his heart. “ Right through the heart. “ 

It was then that he noticed something off about her. She seemed .. Tilted. Billy could see she was favoring her left leg, and her posture was more hunched than he remembered. Slightly hidden by her braid, he saw the tell-tale markings of a strangely shaped bruise forming on the lower side of cheek, crawling back to her neck, which was hidden by a scarf. Something began to bubble in his gut ; a dark and familiar feeling. At first it touched on fear, but quickly burned to anger. He did his best to remain collected and not give away the tight feeling in his throat. Kass didn’t seem to notice the slight change in his demeanor, but did see his eyes lose a little of his smile. 

“ Where were you? “ he said after a beat. 

“ What are you, my mom? “ Kass returned. She was speaking more freely than she ever had with him, which was an interesting turn of events. When he did not respond, she shuffled her feet a bit nervously. “ Hunting Trip. “ 

“ Layla said you took your dad to the doctor. “ She silently cursed Layla for trying to cover for her, but realistically couldn’t be that angry. 

“ We stayed an extra day to hunt. For fun. “ She was quick on the recovery, but her tone was too rehearsed.. Too automated. Billy was no fool ; He could smell a liar from a mile away. After all, he was a master at it himself. He shot a hand out at her, and Kass visibly flinched, which only seemed to make him angrier. However, when he laid his hand on her, it was unexpectedly gently. He cupped the opposite side of her face, using his thumb to tilt her chin towards the light. Kass closed her eyes but did not resist this motion. Pulling down her scarf with his other hand, he saw that the bruise connected to an even longer, stranger one that seemed to wrap around her neck in various degrees of darkness. It almost looked like she had been strangled by some kind of thick rope. Opening her eyes once more, she looked up at him sheepishly. “ Hunting accident? “ She said, to gauge his reaction. Kass rationalized that this was _technically_ true, and then had to wonder why care about lying to him at all? 

Billy was silent and still, staring down at her. She saw his eyes grow angry, distorted from the playful demeanor he was exhibiting only moments ago. 

“ DAMMIT KASS, why are you lying to me !? “ He screamed at her. 

Kass recoiled away from him and took a step back, growing angry herself. So angry, she screamed right back. “ Why do you even _care_, Billy !? “ Her voice was the loudest he had ever heard it, and even she was surprised. Kass hadn’t been that angry in a very long time, and it was almost exhilarating. The worst part was that she wasn’t even angry at Billy. Her anger stemmed from deep inside of her; volatile and burning. He was right, she was lying. She lied every day of her life. Was that what he wanted to hear? Kass was pacing, facing away from him and screaming at the trees by the roadside. “ You think you know me? You don’t know ANYTHING. “ She spun to face him, rage written on her face. Even in the dark, illuminated only by headlights, he could see it clearly. It matched his own. Kass came towards him and pushed him roughly with both hands. He caught her by both wrists with a bit more force than he intended and watched her wince from some kind of pain. Shoving her jacket sleeve out of the way, his blue eyes fell on quick work bandages that blood and pus seeped through a bit. Tell tale signs of burns. Kass yanked her arms away from him, and he released them quickly, not wanting to hurt her further. She turned away from him once more to stare at the trees, crossing her arms across her chest against the cold. “ One party, Billy. _One night_. We’re strangers. “ 

“ Did your dad do this to you. “ It was more of a statement than a question. 

“ No. “ ‘_ Why am I entertaining this? _’ 

“ Kass- “ 

“ Billy, no. “ ‘ _ What does he want from me?!_ ‘ 

“ You’re probably covered in- “ 

“ BILLY, STOP. “ She cried out, almost choked on the words. 

“ Fine. “ He said finally. He walked away from her to his car, opened the door, and sat down. The door closed with a slam, which caused her to wince once more. The sound of the engine revved and purred as he turned the Camaro on, but it did not move. He had every intention of leaving her there in the dark. He had found her that way and he could leave her that way, none the wiser. It could be as though their conversation had never happened. As though he had never shown her an ounce of concern .. But the conversation was ingrained in his mind. Her face, her voice, her injuries. As Billy sat and struggled against a conscience he didn’t know he possessed, something small was beginning to ignite with him : The tiniest flame of compassion. 

He opened the car door again, a little frustrated at this revelation. He popped up and stared at Kass, who had not moved. “ Get in car. “ She cast a glance at him over her shoulder. “ Get in the car, Kass. “ This was an order, not a request. 

An eternity seemed to pass between them, but Kass eventually complied with his demand. They sat in silence for a moment before she rattled off her address and they took off down the road, driving much slower than his usual speed. She had walked a bit of a distance, two hours worth before Billy had showed up. Lost in her thoughts about her hunt, she hadn’t even realized how far she had travelled. Billy was impressed, to say the least. He turned up the radio to drown out their silence, but neither was truly listening, both lost in their own thoughts. The tension in the air was thick, and both of them were still a little heated. Reaching over to her quietly, Billy laid his hand on her knee. It was not meant to be possessive or sexually charged, but instead offered a small sense of comfort. He began to rhythmically stroke the side of her jeans with his thumb, neither of them ever looking at one another. They had not shifted their eyes from the road since she entered the car. Without looking at him, Kass placed her hand gently on top of his, curling her fingers into his palm,and he switched to running his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand. In the far reaches of his mind, Billy couldn’t help but think the was the very out of character for him. He had not felt such a sincerely sweet touch since his mother left. It felt innocent. 

Still, they remained silent. He pulled up just outside of the family’s property, a small road winding up to a driveway and a very nice two-story home. ‘ _Nice place_,’ he thought as he put the Camaro in park and turned the music down. Kass lingered, desperate to stay in the moment for a little while longer. Time was ticking by, and even though they were not under any sort of pressure to part ways, it had to happen eventually. She popped the door open and felt the chill return, staring out her door but still holding his hand. Billy watched her carefully, face showing no emotion. His eyes were fixated on the dark bruising of her face and neck, unsure of what to do or say, a very uncommon problem for him. 

“ What are you going to do? “ He said when she continued to linger. 

“ Ice bath. “ 

Without missing a beat, he smiled and said, “ Sexy. Room for two? “ 

Kass spun to face him, a look of bewilderment on her face that was thinly covering a laugh. “ Thanks for the ride. “ 

“ Any time. “ He said, and laughed when he realized that he meant it. “ You ever need someone to take all that anger out on, just give me a call. “ He winked, and this had the desired effect. She laughed. Loud, cheery, honest. It was the first time he’d heard her laugh like that, ever actually, and he felt his heart race involuntarily. She was covered in bruises and burns. They had just been screaming at each other. They didn’t say a word to each other in the car. All of these things came to mind when he watched her laugh, realizing that none of that mattered. He didn’t want to let go of her hand. When she finally did stop laughing and released his hand, reality hit him like a freight train. She stepped out of the car, and he managed to get out a weak, “ No kiss goodbye? “ 

“ Goodbye, Billy. Drive safe. “ The way Kass said it made it sound so definite. She shut the car door with one final _thunk_ and walked up the short road leading to her driveway. Billy revved the engine and peeled off into the night loudly. She turned to watch the lights disappear into the night before heading inside, ready to grit her teeth through the searing pain that came with cleaning fresh wounds. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading !


	5. Monsters

“ Kass ! Phone ! “ Her mother, Cynthia, hollered up the stairs, “ It’s Steve ! “ 

It was already well into the afternoon when the phone rang. Cynthia had spent the majority of the morning patching up David and Kass, treating and bandaging wounds through their hollars and cries. Out of the field, Kass would never have openly cried like that she ; She had enough bravado in her to supply an ivy league fraternity. In her home, however, the tears flowed free as her mother cleaned up the bad burns and cuts she had gotten. The dark snaking bruise around her neck made every cry of pain hurt tenfold, as even just breathing too deeply or speaking caused a surge of pain. Without the proper safety gear, the risk for self-inflicted flames went up, and that was just the reality of the job. Kass was covered in old scars, burn marks, and she was sure that plenty were in her future. 

Her morning with Billy was still very fresh in her mind, and she tried to focus on that as her mother cleaned her wounds. He seemed genuinely worried for her, upset at her injuries. It almost felt like he cared, but Kass knew better than that. The Billy she had seen in action at the Halloween party was a man who went out of his way to not care. It was clear as day in his angry, drunken eyes. Maybe he was just a very high-functioning sociopath. Maybe he was just momentarily infatuated. Maybe He liked the chase. Maybe she was just a fancy new plaything to him. All of the maybes made her head spin, or was that the indescribable pain of cold water hitting her burns? Then the memory of holding his hand in the car hit her like a train. 

Whatever his reasoning, she hoped his interest would wear off soon. Kass didn’t want anyone else to get involved with the dangerous lifestyle she lived. It was already bad enough that there were other locals involved who had no business being involved. Like Steve Harrington. Coming down the stairs quickly, Kass was beginning to get accustomed to moving through the pain. Soon, it would be nothing but an afterthought. Until then, it was just going to burn like hell. She took the phone from her mother, who gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and walked back into the kitchen. 

“ Hello? “

“ Kass, i’m glad your home. “ Steve almost sounded as though he expected her not to be. Not surprising considering she had not been at school for the past two days. “ Are you doing okay? “

“ My dad and I were just on a hunting trip. “

A pause. Steve was well aware of what that meant. “ And did it go .. well? “

“ Yes .. and no. “ She said quietly. “ Listen, Steve, I want you to try and not be out at night- “

“Yeah, that’s _kinda_ why i’m calling. “ Kass felt a lump form in her throat.

“ What’s going on. “

“ _Wellll.._ “

Billy was treating his early morning encounter as though it had been a strangely realistic dream. It had to be. What was Kass Ballard doing walking around in the middle of nowhere in the pitch black dark on Hawkins’ countryside? What sort of weird medieval abuse could have caused that strange wrapped bruise around her neck? Why was she covered in burns? None of it added up. Hawkins was boring and stagnant. Everyone knew everyone, as he was quickly realizing, and that sort of abuse would not go unnoticed. Then again, Billy had lived in hustle-bustle California and no one had noticed.. He banished the thought from his mind before all the memories could come rushing back. No, that morning’s events could not have been real. His brain was playing tricks on him. Still, he could feel her fingers curling around his, the touch of her slightly rough palm on the back of his hand. It felt real, and he remembered feeling so peaceful with her in his front seat.

A splash of cold water hit his face, and he looked up into the bathroom sink mirror, icy blue eyes glaring back at him. It was time to come back to reality. The droning sound of some television program weaved through the house and he was reluctant to leave the bathroom. Home life was anything but picturesque for the Hargrove-Mayfield family. Neil was an angry man with a penchant for striking first and discussing later, Susan was too timid to do anything about it, and Max .. His relationship with Max was complicated. She was rebellious and out-spoken, two things Billy could understand at her age, but she was also severely unaware of the consequences that came with those traits. This combination of personalities in the house proved time and time again to lead to chaos and violence. Unfortunately for Max, it was a terrifying snowball effect. Neil came down on Billy hard, and in turn, Billy had nowhere else to aim his agressions. 

There was no doubt about it ; Billy knew what he was doing. He had control over the things he said and did, but something deep inside of him had learned that it was a dog-eat-dog world. All of his aggressive behaviors had been learned ones. His bigotry, his bullying tactics, his hateful mindset ; All of it passed down from father dearest. No matter how hard he tried to be a good brother to Max, he couldn’t help but revert back to mistreating her as he had been mistreated. In the same vein, Billy knew that he was trying to protect her in his own way. Despite the fact that he had mistreated her and been callous, he hoped that it was effectively toughening her up for the real world. He could not count the number of times that one of Max’s actions resulted in a direct act of violence against Billy himself. Something deep inside him knew that, if he was not around to receive Neil’s punishments, Max would inevitably fall into that position. When his mother left, it had been Billy.

It was a vicious cycle, and one he could not seem to break free from. 

So, when Max came knocking on the bathroom door, Billy opened it to find her looking very meek and nervous, a far cry from her usual headstrong personality. He glared down at her, icy blue eyes piercing her and sending a silent warning that she should be quick about whatever it was. Fidgeting a little bit, the young girl’s eyes darted left and right a bit. “ Uh, Billy? “ 

“ What. “ He barked at her, sneering as he wiped a bit more water off of his chin.

“ Could you take me to the arcade? “ Her voice was very quiet, careful to stay a few octaves below the sound of the television, lest she garner the attention of Neil in the living room. Billy leaned out of the bathroom and peered down the hall. He couldn’t see the inside of the living room from there, but he was also very aware of the monster lurking just out of sight. The human inside him was at war with the beast. On one hand, he was irritated that Max had even asked him for anything ; On the other, he felt some relief that she had come to ask him first, before asking their parents. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end just thinking of the scenario. Neil would have told Billy to do it anyway, but in a much more violent fashion. Maybe Max understood more about their situation than he was giving her credit for. 

He gave her a look up and down and rolled his eyes, “ Yeah, fine. “

As the two of them were gearing up to leave, they caught the attention of Neil, just as he knew they would. Neil turned to face them from his chair, taking his eyes off of the TV. ‘ _What an honor_ ‘ Billy thought bitterly. “ Where the hell do you think you’re going. “

“ Just taking Maxine to the Arcade. “ Billy said in an almost monotone voice. He couldn’t allow any emotion to betray him. “ Like a good .. brother. “ Despite his attempts to sound emotionless, the last sentence was practically ripped from him through clenched teeth. He could only hope that his father did not notice. 

Neil stared at him, studying him intently and looking for any falter of a lie. After an uncomfortable stretch of time, Neil finally turned back to his TV. Billy let out a silent sigh of relief, and turned to see Max looking just as scared as he felt. He made a motion for her to hurry up outside and closed the door behind them quickly. 

**SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4TH**

Sunday was chaotic for the Ballard Family. Cynthia had received an emergency call from Hawkins Lab, asking her to come in immediately. Based on the urgency of the voice on the other line, she and David had a feeling that it had something to do with their “Pest Control” problem. They had both called the girls down for a round table discussion that afternoon, right before Cynthia left for the lab. Solemnly, they sat and David cleared his throat loudly. 

“ Girls, there’s a situation at the Lab. Your mother doesn’t have any details yet, but I think we all have an idea of what this could mean. “ He looked over them, eyes clouded with concern. “ Especially considering the hunt a few days ago, which Kass and I as still somewhat recovering from. “

Kass felt a chill run down her spine at her father’s words. She focused and could feel the underlying notes of triumph creeping around the darkest corners of her mind. Someone else’s invasive emotions were growing stronger. It was as though she was standing in the eye of a storm, watching as it closed in on her. The idea that they might have to get back into the fight so quickly after their last scrap with the monsters was debilitating, but more so for the rest of her family. Kass could feel her injuries healing rapidly under the bandages, knowing all too well that her ability to heal far outweighed the others. She picked at one of the bandages on the back of her hand, as everyone looked at her. 

“ How do you feel, Kassie? “ Layla said softy, putting her hand on Kass’s arm, careful not to touch any of the bandages.

“ I can feel him, “ She said very softly, almost as though she was scared someone might hear her. “ He’s excited. “

The words hung in the air with the kind of weight one might put on imminent apocalyptic destruction. “ Let me confirm, “ Kass said quickly, with more courage than David had expected. Then again, he sometimes wondered if she was afraid of anything at all. They all wondered what was going in her head, both curious and nervous. 

“ Are you sure? “

“ It’ll just be a second, just to look towards the Lab. If he’s there .. “

The family sat silent for a moment. They knew the risk.

Cynthia said. “ I have to head to the lab, and I want to see what I am walking into. “

The family remained silent. Kass stood up from her place at the dining table and walked away from them, quickly ascending the stairs and following the hall to the end, where a huge window stood. She gingerly moved the curtain aside and stared out in the beautiful blue autumn sky. As she did so, she felt her mother come up behind her and put and hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Kass took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and clutched at the curtain with a fist. When she opened her eyes, they lit up with a golden light, illuminating the area directly in front of her. Turning to Cynthia, she was greeted by a pair of glowing green eyes, lighting up each place she cast her eyes on. It was dark and heavy, most of the color having been drained from the environment around them. Everything was hazy and bleak, as though they had been sucked into a vortex of misery. Spores floated throughout the room and their breathing was slightly labored, but not impossible. It felt like being submerged in the deepest parts of the ocean. The strange creeping feeling that ran through her body, her nervous system, and her brain was enhanced and almost overwhelming here. She could feel someone, or something, moving through her. A strange feeling of triumph filled her, but did not control her. This feeling was familiar, and it took her back to the moment they began.

_It had been snowing on a Thursday, and the schools were closed. Kass had been so excited to be able to spend her birthday at home, and it showed on her face. At the time, they had been living in New York, but they were lucky enough to be near a big park. She could remember the sounds of cars and people all around her, kids and adults enjoying the snowfall uninhibited. There were snowballs flying between her and her father, while her mother and Layla made a tiny snowman. The was was absolutely picturesque, something out of a happy fairytale. Kass was loud and fast, running around and throwing snow with the accuracy of a baseball pitcher. It was enough to impress her father, who retaliated back just a quickly._

_“ You’ll never hit me, Dad ! “ She taunted with a laugh. “ I’m too fast for you !“_

_Kass ran away from her father, ducking behind a tree. Underneath the snow, one of the tree roots snagged her snow boot and sent her face first into the cold powder. When he emerged from the pile of snow, wiping it from her face, she opened her eyes and found herself somewhere strange. The world was suddenly a strange shade of blue, thunder and lightning ripping through an eerie red sky above. Scrambling to her feet, she spun around a few times, running back from the direction she had come. She was alone, there were no signs of life around her at all. Terrified and confused, she began to call out for her father loudly, tears welling up in her eyes. Her voice sounded like nothing more than a fading echo. She looked to the sky as another crack of lightning sounded._

_Right before her very eyes, the clouds warped themselves into a strange spider-like shape. It was monstrous in size, legs filling out into long tendrils, and strange diamond shaped head turning towards her wails. The sound caught in her throat as it started to move closer and closer to her, looming larger than anything she had ever seen in her short eight years. Every instinct in her told her to run as fast as she could, but her feet were planted. She was gazing up in fear and awe as it snaked towards her, one of the long tendriled legs moving closer and closer. _

_Then, all at once, darkness consumed her. She screamed as the monster’s arm descended upon her like a whirlwind. It began filling her, seeping into her eyes, mother, nostrils, and ears. Invading, creeping, and moving so quickly that she couldn’t understand. Her senses were going dark, and then._

_“ Kassandra ! “ She heard her father’s voice echoing in the darkness behind her. She felt his arms wrap around her, and his hand slap across her face, covering her eyes._

_Suddenly, they were back. _

_“ David ! “ Her mother called out._

_“ It got her, but only for a few seconds. “ He said, panic in his voice. Kass had no idea what they were talking about, but she was happy to be able to breathe again. “ Sweetheart, “ he grabbed her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake, “ How do you feel? “_

_“ Angry. “ Her words were very concise, too sharp for a child. Then her voice faltered a bit. “ But .. I’m not .. “_

_“ It’s okay, sweetie. It’s okay. Can you remember anything? Anything .. Weird? Anything you don’t remember seeing? “_

_“ No. “ Her parents exchanged looks while her mother calmed Layla, who was very confused and crying. “ Just angry. “_

Standing in the Upside Down, looking out the window into the storm-torn sky with her mother, she felt powerful. There was a very strong sense of vengefulness filling her. She could see the strange, dark shape of the monster looming over Hawkin’s Lab, spider-like and terrifying. It felt almost reminiscent of looking a mirror for a brief moment, but she dismissed this thought, having learned over the years that this was simply her feeling it’s emotions. In the Upside Down, it was a much stronger pull, almost as though she and the monster were one in the same. She wondered when it would realize that she was nearby. All of her life, she could feel it searching for her, whispering quietly. Having someone who could blink into other dimensions under its control would be devastating for any and all dimensions, and Kass tried not to think about the terrible things she might be forced to do.

“ We’ve seen enough. “ Cynthia’s voice rang in her ears, compelling her to close her eyes. When she opened the, she was back in front of her window, looking up at a robin blue sky. The sun was out, there were no shadows, and Kass could feel own mind begin to push the stolen emotions back down. She turned to see her mother already speaking with her father as they walked down the staircase quickly, leaving Kass at the end of the hall. There seemed to be no shaking the dread that was filling her body. She was more inclined to believe Steve now, who had asked her to meet him at the junkyard that night to “ light up some cat-eating monster “ they had come across. Kass had no doubt in her mind that it was another one of those fledgling monsters, and there was no way that she was leaving Steve to fight it alone. 


	6. A History Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! This chapter will be on the short side. It is only for world - building purposes, and you can skip it if you don't care much about Kass's history. It's here to shed some light on the bigger picture !

**A HISTORY LESSON**

No one knew exactly when the universe was created, but for as long as it has existed, so had other dimensions. Earth, “ reality “ , and the world as they knew it was only one of many realities that existed across space and time. As unbelievable as it sounded, the truth was staring Hawkins Indiana right in the face. If some kind of monster could rip a hole into their world, what’s to say that others did not exist? The Astral Plane, Heaven, The Underworld, Val Halla, Black Holes, Purgatory. The Upside Down. They went by many names, and sometimes no name at all. They were numerous and unfathomable. There existed worlds that no one had even dreamed of. The magnitude of this truth was something people often never understood, and they all went about their lives believing that they were the center of all existence. 

However, just like every rule, there were exceptions. People who simply knew, or perhaps didn’t know, but felt _something_. People who were blessed or cursed with skills and unexplainable abilities. They could commune with the dead, summon things into existence, tap into the thoughts of others, control the elements, glimpse into other worlds. The idea of realities leaking over into each other was not a new concept, even if it was new for Hawkins. Why else would places like Hawkins Lab exist in the first place? Because they knew.

Those special people were experimented on when it was proven that their claims were real. They were hunted and researched, and in the case of Hawkins Lab, they were even ‘ _created_ ‘. Various groups throughout the world, government or otherwise, sought to control these few and far between people. Some organization wanted to weaponize them and others wished to simply understand. However, there was one seemingly universal group that had somehow evaded the eyes of the world. They stayed hidden and quiet throughout history, serving a very important and thankless purpose. This group knew that it wasn’t just people who seemed to transcend the dimensions.

Did Hawkins really think they were the first to face monsters?

How naive. 

All around the world, this group worked to keep the peace between these dimensions. They chose to use their abilities to keep the populace safe, regardless of that that meant or what the cost was. In secret, they fought monsters, closed rifts, intercepted growing supernatural and interdimensional threats to their world. Since the beginning of time, these people have always been called crazy, dangerous, monsters, demons, witches, satanists, hedonists, and everything in-between. In an effort to justify their desire to keep their dimension safe, they decided to own these labels that persisted. 

While it was impossible to trace back to the beginnings of time, a single legend persisted. A man named called Daimon, proclaimed to be a Divine Spirit by the ancient greeks, travelled the world and dimensions in an effort to quell the invasions of beings from other worlds. In his travels, he came across others like himself ; People and beings of all shapes, sizes, creeds, and abilities. They swore a pact to keep their world safe, and long after he had passed into dust, his work lived on. 

They called themselves The Agents of Daimon.

\------------------------------------------------------------

For generations, the Ballard family had been indoctrinated members of The Agents of Daimon. Their bloodline had been blessed with the ability of True Sight. True Sight was the ability to see into other dimensions, but this bloodline evolved towards and even stronger skillset. They could Blink : Jump through to the other dimensions at will. Sometimes, this ability manifested so strongly that they could transcend many different worlds and dimensions. Their assigned dimension to monitor was originally called the Shadow Plane, but Kass rather liked the Hawkins’ kids’ name : The Upside Down. It was a fitting title, considering it was a carbon copy of their own dimension .. Only darker. It was cold, eerie, and dead. Kass believed that it had not always been that way, that the coming of The Mind Flayer had corrupted that world. Even worse, that The Upside Down was what would become of her world if they allowed it to come through. She firmly believed that The Mind Flayer had arrived and taken that world for itself, and that it would not stop until it had consumed all feasible realities. 

After her eighth birthday, Kass had never been the same lively child she had been. Despite the fact that her father had managed to pull her out of the embrace of The Mind Flayer after only a few moments, it had left its mark. She was angry all the time, throwing things, ripping into things. It took them over a year to figure out that she was acting out on its feelings, not her own. They spent years afterwards, alongside The Agents of Daimon, training her to hunt and to control both her own emotions and the influence of The Monster. Kass had to grow beyond her age very quickly, and they knew all knew it. Her childhood was over at the age of eight, simply because they had not been prepared for her first blink. In a relatively short period of time, her strength and her body’s ability to heal grew tenfold. She was far from superhuman, but these traits exceeded the average human by miles.

For better or for worse, Kass was different. It had made her quiet and calculated, but it had also made her one of the best Agents of her generation. She was a human divining rod, able to point them in the directions of the gates that were directly attached to The Monster. While she was unable to close them, being able to find them and travel between dimensions proved to be very valuable to The Agents of Daimon. However, this curse also had her on their radar as a potential security risk. Various telepaths had been assigned to scope out her mind, and while they came up empty handed, it was still a very fragile situation. They had encountered people who had fallen prey to its hive minds before, but there was still so much unknown.

For the time being, Kass had been allowed to move about freely with her family, but she knew :

It was only a matter of time. 


	7. Junkyard Brawl

**SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4TH**

She heard the monster before she could see it, and Kass wasn’t even at the junkyard yet. Even without the strange guttural purrs echoing through the evening air, the dense creeping fog was a dead give away. They had a primal, almost electrical synth sound to their calls, and if she had not known better, might have compared it to an arcade game sound. Eerie and almost curious, it came from all around like some sort of omnipresent cloud. It was as though the fog itself was making the noise. She slowed her pace as she moved through the area and grew ever closer to the junkyard, where Steve said he would be holed up and trying to flush the monster out. He and one of the neighborhood kids had orchestrated a plan which entailed luring it out and setting it on fire, which was very thought out and impressive for someone who did not hunt monsters as a job.

The closer she came, the more the fog thickened. Sharp ears picked up the sounds of light, deliberate whistles, and then Steve’s voice gently cooing out, as though he was looking for a lost animal. She came around the back of an old bus silently, unaware of the children keeping watch on the roof. Scanning the fog, she caught sight of Steve standing near a grisly pile of chopped up meat, the “ bait “ she assumed. 

The monster came into sight, but something was wrong. “ STEVE, WATCH OUT ! “ A young boy called from the roof of the bus. She recognized the voice of Lucas, one of the neighborhood kids involved with the Byers Case the previous year. “ THREE O’CLOCK ! THREE O’CLOCK “ His voice was strained and terrified. Kass followed his directions and saw what Steve could not from his position : More of the monsters creeping up silently. It was a pack ! Steve turned around to see another one jump up on a car threateningly.

“ STEVE ! STEVE ! ABORT ! ABORT ! “ Another familiar voice : Dustin Henderson. Kass couldn’t wrap her head around having some many children present for such a dangerous task, but that was an argument for another time. In front of Steve, the first monster slopped open it’s petal jaws and growled as it started moving in on him at a rapid pace, dog-like and agile. He dodged, and rolled onto the hood of a car, the monster sliding across into the cab of the vehicle while another one bounded at him. He struck it with the bat and Kass sped out from behind the bus with her gun in hand, firing a shot at the one closest to her. As the first one began to climb clumsily out of the vehicle, Kass fired two shots into it, giving Steve enough time to scramble back and head towards the bus. The gun shots got the attention of the small gaggle of children as they called out to him before trying to close the door. 

“ WAIT ! “ he said as Kass came into his view. The gunshots also got the attention of the dog-like monsters. She quickly followed him into the bus, the monsters right on her heels. As the door closed, one of them caught her shoe in the crack. She delivered a few quick kicks to the monster’s face, feeling the strangely amphibious head crush under her boot. Still, it continued to wraps its petal-like maw across her boots. As the other monsters began to ram into the bus, Kass cursed and pointed her gun at the beast. It flared it’s jaws and screamed at her, web-slike spittle cascading out. She fired a few more shots into it’s mouth, hearing a whine as it fell to the ground that the bus door slammed shut. Both Kass and Steve were breathing violently, terror in both of their eyes. The children were panicked, talking over each other as the beasts rocked the bus.

Claws began to burst through their makeshift armor and Steve slammed the nailed baseball bat down on them as hard as he could muster, hearing the satisfying squish with each impact. Kass picked up a rusted piece of metal and slammed it hard over the opening, bracing her shoulder against it as the monster continued to slam back. Dustin got on the radio, pleading with anyone for help. It was pure pandemonium as the small group struggled to stay alive. 

There was a momentary lull in activity and then the sounds of scraping and thuds on the roof. Everyone went still and their eyes went upwards. Then, the young red-headed girl peered up through the emergency escape they had been using as a look out just in time to see the monster scream, the petals flaring open and shooting webs of strange spit down on them. Kass immediately recognized her as Max Mayfield, Billy’s younger sister. All she could think was, ‘ _Shit, shit shit shit !_ ’

“ OUT OF THE WAY ! OUT OF THE WAY “ Steve yelled, aggressively pushing the girl back. He leveled the bat at the monster threateningly, “ YOU WANT SOME? COME GET THIS, “ He screamed. As the dog lowered its head down into the opening, ready to make it’s attack, it closed its mouth suddenly. Kass also felt the onslaught of slams on the other side of her opportunistic shield stop. The monster on the roof pulled back and roared into the night, facing away from the group, before dismounting the bus and racing off into the woods. They could hear the echoes growing more faint. Kass and Steve looked at each other before popping the bus door open and stepping cautiously back outside, with their respective weapons ready to engage.

“ What. Happened. “

“ I don’t know. “

“ Steve scared them off? “

“ No. No way. “ Steve said, turning to them. “ They’re goin’ somewhere. “

Kass sucked in a breath of air sharply and turned to stare towards the west. “ The lab, “ she whispered. This got the attention of Dustin and the other two kids. 

“ What the hell, Steve. This was a secret mission, “ Dustin said, jabbing her thumb in Kass’s direction. “

“ You’re not the only one who gets to bring a random girl. “ Steve said quickly.

“ I know you, “ Lucas said, squinting. “ I’ve seen you around the schools. “

“ Look, guys, she can help. “ Steve said with an exasperated tone. “ She’s an expert. “

“ Expert? “

“ Yeah, you know- “

“ Hunter. I’m a hunter. “ Kass said quickly. 

“ Right. “ Steve corrected himself and gave her an apologetic look.

As the small group of self-proclaimed monster hunters gathered their wits about them, Kass’s eyes were fixed on the direction of Hawkin’s Lab. That place had always been the center of turmoil in Hawkins. It is what brought Kass and her family to the small sleepy town over a year ago. Reports about child abductions and strange happenings there had been coming in for years through a network of spies and agents. The Ballard family had moved there after Will’s shocking experience, Cynthia being plugged in as a doctor at the newly staffed Laboratory. She was their inside man, working to document and keep tabs on their progress with the rift into The Upside Down. Every single bone in her body told her that she needed to head for the lab, to find her mother, but there were other dangers to consider. Her father and sister were back home and had no idea what was going on. There were monsters loose and they needed to be warned. Kass could feel her stomach in knots as she was torn in three different directions of action.

Saving her mother from the lab.

Warning her family about the swarm.

Keeping Steve and the Kids safe.

In the end, Kass chose to stay with Steve and the Kids. Her family was more than capable of taking care of themselves under almost any circumstances. Besides, if these kids were hell-bent on chasing these monsters down, they would inevitably end up at the Lab regardless and would need more protecting than the Ballards would. As they small group walked along the train tracks in the dark, the kids were arguing aimlessly. Even though Kass knew the monsters were headed to the lab, she didn’t relish the idea of leading children right into their jaws. Steve was not an idiot though, and he would figure it out soon. There was no reason to rush them off in the right direction, and hopefully by delaying them it would mean that the folks at Hawkins Lab might be able to dwindle their numbers a bit. At least, she hoped so, considering how many armed guards they had there.

Pulling up the rear, all she could do was listen to the arguing children as they described what had happened. Apparently, Dustin had been keeping a baby monster as a pet, which really irked her. If it had been as small as they described when they found it, it definitely was not first generation. No wonder there had been so many of them at the Junkyard. Kass shook her head, a hard frown forming on her face as the kids continued to shout and argue about extremely unimportant things. They were children and she couldn’t be angry with them for being curious about some strange slug they acquired. Hell, she had been a child herself not too long ago. In fact, she was still technically a child. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that she should be a happy teenager, rebelling against her parents, sneaking smokes, and worrying about her college applications.

But, an average American teen she was not. 

The party stopped moving, breaking her from her thoughts as Steve muttered, “Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats. “

“ Wait, a cat? “ Lucas took a step back from Dustin, mounting realization visible in his eyes. “ Dart ate a cat? “

“ No, what? No. “ Dustin was quick on the defense, and Kass stifled a shocked laugh at the idea that they had _named_ the thing.

“ What are you talking about? “ Steve said, confused. “ He ate Mews. “ He was obviously not in the loop on what was supposed to be a secret and what wasn’t. It was like a bad sitcom unfolding in front of her ; One in which every step brought them closer to extreme danger.

“ Mews? Who's Mews? “ As the only other girl in the group, Maxine was bewildered and was being treated as almost an after-thought. She was a catalyst to the in-fighting of the small group, and anyone could see that it was slowly damaging her confidence in a subtle way. 

“ It's Dustin's cat. “ The statement was so matter-of-fact, and the cluelessness of Steve’s face was endearing, but his simple statement sparked an alarming response from the kids. 

“ STEVE ! “ The fighting escalated to screaming. Kass stood and stared as they went back and forth. That was, until Steve started to separate from them. Something had caught his eye, and he began moving off to the side, eyes fixated on something in the darkness. Kass, stepped away from her position behind the group to join him as he tried to gain the attention of the bickering group.

“ Hey guys? “ He said, voice washed out by the angry yells of Lucas and Dustin. “ GUYS! “ he screamed at them, finally getting the response he wanted. They stopped and stared at him and Kass, side by side. The low growl of monsters echoed in the night, causing Steve and the boys to start walking. 

‘ _Great_, ‘ Kass thought. Maxine was protesting, and she seemed to be the only one with a solid head on her shoulder. Leave it to the girl to make the most sense. She was almost proud of Billy’s younger sister, and she waited patiently for the young girl to catch up with the other kids before finding her place behind again. One could never be too careful, and she didn’t like the idea of any children being left behind. 

The group walked through to the edge of the forest until they came to a small clearing with a height advantage. It was pitch black, nothing visible. Lucas lifted his binoculars and stared out into the night until he caught sight of a building looming in the background. “ It’s the lab, “ he said. “ They were going back home. “

Kass had to hand it to them : They were quick. 


	8. Hawkin's Lab

**SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4TH**

As the small group broke through to the edges of the Hawkin’s Lab property, a gravelly voice shouted out in their direction. “ Hello? “ It called out. Kass put her hand on her gun, but did not draw. “ Who's there? “ The voice called, and then again more forcefully, “ Who's there? “ Steve strode forth, extremely confident. He didn’t pause to think about who might be waiting for them on the end of his flashlight, and while Kass admired his bravery, she couldn’t help but think that he was being a bit reckless. However, it turned out there was nothing to worry about after all. The small group found themselves face to face with a dumbfounded Jonathan and Nancy. 

“ Steve?! “ They both said in unison, their surprise evident. “ Kass?! “

“ Nancy? “ Steve was just as confused as the other two. Even Kass was caught off guard at the sight of them.

“ Jonathan. “ Dustin said, though he was definitely not the focus of attention.

“ What are you doing here? “

“ What are _you_ doing here? “ There was a strange tension between Steve and Nancy that Kass couldn’t place. She was not in the know about how things had played out for them at Tina’s party and the aftermath. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. 

“ We're looking for Mike and Will. “

“ They're not in there, are they? “ Now Dustin had their attention. Kass took a few steps towards the Lab, her eyes trained on the dark building. She could see the hazard lights faintly pulsing against the black sky. Every pulse matched her heartbeat as her mind raced. There was no telling what it looked like in there, but it wasn’t anything good. Those scientists didn’t stand a chance. 

“ We're not sure. “

“ Why? “

A loud demonic roar filled their ears and collective shivers ran down everyone’s spine. Kass ignored the others around her and focused in on the Lab. She hoped her mother had gotten out before everything escalated, but there was no way to know. A hand clapped down on her shoulder. Nancy’s eyes looked worried. “ You-, “ She took a deep breath, “ You know what’s in there, don’t you. “

Kass didn’t answer at first. She was brought back to that day a year ago when they took on the DemoGorgon together. Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve were all so brave that day, and while they didn’t know her back then, they had put their trust in her ability to help them kill it. She gave Nancy a small smile. “ I’m gonna need a smoke after this is all said and done. “

Nancy quickly left her side and returned to the group, which was now talking in a gabrled mass of voices at varying levels of volume. They were speaking over one another, trying to recount everything hastily. Kass was opting to tune them out and kept her focus on Hawkins Lab, waiting for any sign of life. Her breathing was so shallow, it was almost nonexistent. What could she do with a bunch of kids in tow? The risk was extremely high at the moment, but she and her family had sworn an oath to put the people of their world first and foremost. She wanted to climb that fence, risk cuts from the barbed wire, and find her mother, but .. It wasn’t an option. 

Suddenly, the lights came back on and Kass felt a rush of adrenaline. “ The power’s back, “ Nancy declared, causing the group to cease their conversation. She exhaled as the group began to rush over the the Hawkin’s Lift Gate, where Jonathan had parked his car. The first to the box was Jonathan, who immediately began jabbing at the button to open the gates. Kass could feel the tension rising in her body. The others did not know her mother worked at the Lab, but they all had someone that they were hoping to find alive. She stood back with Steve, knowing that her intervention was not going to make the gate work. As they stood together, Dustin ran in and began jamming the button as well. Every click was putting her on edge, and the energy radiating off of her caught the attention of Steve. Her bumped a shoulder into her.

“ Everything’s gonna work out, “ He said quietly. “ We’ll get everyone out safe and sound. “

Kass grabbed his hand and gave it a hard squeeze before releasing it, quick and unnoticed by the others. “ My mom’s in there, “ her voice cracked slightly, and it was the first time since Steve had met her that he had seen a moment of vulnerability. He’d seen her in action, and he’d seen her laid back. He’d seen her smiling in the halls of highschool, and he’d seen her relaxed and enjoying a day at the arcade. Steve had seen Kass in many different lights, and their friendship had blossomed over the year, but .. He had never seen this. He was not the best at reading between the lines, and it was surprising to find that he was realizing he had never seen Kass express weakness to him in such a way.

The moment was fleeting, and before Steve could say or do anything, the gate began to slide open ominously. Kass sucked in a breath and suppressed the urge to run inside like a maniac. The small group immediately began arguing again. This time, they were at odds about who should go and who should stay at the gate. Time was not on their side, and collecting on the building adrenaline in her body, Kass screamed out, “ STOP ! Everyone SHUT UP ! “

They all turned to her. The last time the teens had heard Kass scream like that was the year before. The kids, well, they barely heard her speak at all. Kass had their attention and immediately started barking orders. “ Do we know who all is in there? “

Nancy stammered, “ Ah, a-at least Will and Mike. “

“ And my mom, “ Jonathan added. “ She wouldn’t have left Will by himself. “

“ And- “ Steve began to say, directing his eyes at Kass. She shot him a hard stare that cut him off.

“ Okay, Jonathan and Nancy, take the car and go in. Wait by the entrance and _do not_ go inside. If you see anything roaming outside of the building or attempting to break out, come back here ASAP. Do you understand? “

Both of them nodded dumbly. It was the most any of them had heard her say in one breath. “ Hey, who put you- “ Dustin began to say, but was silenced by a rough punch to his arm by Steve, “ OWW ! “

“ The rest of us will stay here at the gate. There are limited seats in Jonathan’s car, “ Kass nodded in the direction of the lab. “ In and out, understand? “

Jonathan swallowed nervously and both he and Nancy immediately got in the vehicle. As the drove off, Kass pulled out her gun and turned the safety off. “ Steve, keep an eye out. We focus on keeping the kids safe. You see anything, _anything_ other vehicles coming our way .. Tell me. “ The guard station would serve as a last-resort fortress for them against a pack.

To everyone’s surprise, they weren’t gone long. Steve had posted up next to the booth and everyone was pacing. Kass had wandered to lean up against the gate nearby. It was Max who saw the headlights rushing out. Two vehicles peeled around the driveway bend that led up to Hawkins Lab, and they were coming in very hot. Everyone moved out of the way as Jonathan sped past. The Police SUV pulled a hard stop and Hopped pushed the door open, fear and urgency in his eyes and voice.

“ Let’s go ! “ He motioned for them, and kids being kids, they all repeated it like parrots, echoing his urgency. Kass was last to load up. Climbing inside, she holstered her gun and sat by the back window to see if anything was following them.

Steve tapped Hopper on the shoulder hastily. “ Who’s in Jonathan’s car? “

“ Joyce, Will, Mike .. “ He said, trailing as he sped down the roads and way from the virtual hell that had spawned behind him. His thoughts were still stuck on the harrowing death of Bob that he had just witnessed. He was worried for the Doctor as well. All those people.

“ Do you know if anyone else got out? “

“ No, I have no idea. No living people on the cameras we could see, but maybe, “ he said carefully, “ Hopefully. “

Steve turned to face Kass at the back of the vehicle, but she was staring out the window. He knew that she had heard.


	9. Reinforcements

**SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4TH**

The party was gathered at the Byers home, and the last time Kass had been there, it was covered in traps and they were fighting a fully formed DemoGorgon. In its current state, it was covered with strange drawings depicting something akin to tentacles all over the walls. Every inch of the room was covered, and they seemed vaguely familiar to her. No doubt this had something to do with The Mind Flayer. Kass could feel heavy pulses of anger coming from the back of her mind, and she knew that whatever had happened at Hawkins Lab, the monster was unhappy with the result. They had escaped, and this was displeasing. She had grown used to interpreting The Mind Flayer’s feelings and had to grow up learning how to separate its from her own. It had not been an easy task, but the past ten years had made her a master. And thankfully, due to the interrupted flaying, it bore no connection or influence on her. This had turned her into a very valuable ally to have in the war against this specific being. This, along with her familial ability to jump into The Upside Down at will, was considered invaluable. 

A feeling of dread and loss hung in the air. Everyone who knew him was reeling from Bob’s death. It was a solemn atmosphere that Kass had lived through a few times in her monster hunting career. It was a dangerous life, and she had the weight of a short life expectancy hanging over her head constantly. It was why her parents were so lax with her and Layla’s upbringing. They could drink, smoke, have sex, do whatever they wanted within reason ; Better to experience what life had to offer now, rather than leave this world with regrets if they faced an untimely end. In terms of others’ deaths on the job, she’d had a great record up until a few days ago, and the deceased hadn’t even been an agent that died. She banished the thought from her mind, allowing the sadness in the air to wash over her. If what had happened in the lab was true, according to how Hopper and Mike described it, Bob had saved their lives and gone down a hero. She was certain he had been terrified and in pain in his final moments, but something told her that he was also happy to have saved the lives of his loved ones.

The home was relatively quiet, aside from Hopper’s frustrated phone call to whomever he thought was going to help. Kass was posted up by one of the windows facing the front yard, her finger gently bending the blinds down. She had been introduced to Hopper by Nancy, after he had questioned how old she was and why she had a gun. It became known to everyone in the house that she had fought these monsters before, but had declined to comment on how familiar she was with everything. The less they knew, the safer they were. Especially since she could feel a gentle pull towards Will Byers. The had been flayed, and the monster was using him as a primary source of information. Whatever Will knew, he knew. He was unconscious, but Kass was keeping her distance. The Mind Flayer knew her face, and he had been looking for her almost her entire life. It was safer to stay away.

Despite this, the younger folks of Hawkins were quite versed in things they didn’t have a full understanding of. It didn’t surprise her when they pulled out a Dungeons and Dragons and started discussing The Mind Flayer and giving the monsters an almost endearing nickname : DemoDog.. It was a childish way to think of it, but they were right on the money. The hive mind. Kassandra happened to know that Gary Gygax had True Sight, but according to the information gathered by other agents, he believed this was just an overactive imagination. He wasn’t the first person to believe their gifts of True Sight were only in their heads. Things like other dimensions and monsters were far-fetched to those who did not deal with them on a daily basis. There were many books out there labeled as fantasy that were more real than the authors knew.

“ We know it’s already killed everyone in that lab ! “ Mike yelled out. The words cut into Kass and she shuddered. 

Then, all at once, they had a brilliant plan. One that Kass herself would never have thought of. That no one she knew would have ever thought of. Confine the Flayed in an area they didn’t recognize, couldn’t pinpoint, and then interrogate him. It was pure genius, and it immediately roused her from her position by the window. All at once, the rag-tag group was tearing apart the Byers’ family shed. It was filled to the brim with old things like gardening tools, trash, and boxed up memories. With little to no regard for the state of the items, Kass and Hopper began throwing the junk out of the shed haphazardly. It was almost a nice feeling and helped her expel some of the pent up energy and feelings she was storing inside. Her mind was still on her mother, and she could only wonder if she had made it out alive. It sounded unlikely. She couldn’t allow her feelings to get in the way of the task at hand. They quickly covered the walls and made the small room completely unrecognizable. 

They ran power, put up bright lamps to further disorient, and tied the small, frail child up. It was pitiful to see, and Kass knew it was going to be a hard interrogation. Only a few people would be in the shed with him, trying to get the truth out. She opted to sit outside, on the front porch, gun in hand. Violent screaming could be heard from the shed, all the way to the front of the building. The lights flickered and flashed like a horror movie, and Kass mused that they were actually living in one. She was worried as she sat in the cold. Worried about her mother, her father, her sister. She was worried for all the people of Hawkins, unaware of the monsters that prowl in their streets and fields. She was worried about Billy, which struck her as unexpected. Of all the people in Hawkins, his face flashed across her mind. Taunting blue eyes, smug smile ; She wondered if he was out late. It seemed like he was quite a night owl, since both of their odd encounters had occurred in darkness. 

The jarring sound of the phone ringing came from the house behind her. Immediately, Kass jumped up and ran inside to see Nancy rip the phone off the wall violently. “ Do you think he heard that? “ Max said, furrowing her brow.

“ It’s just a phone, “ Steve replied. “ Could be anywhere .. Right? “

Kass stepped into the room definitively. “ It’s Will’s phone. The same phone he’s heard ring hundreds of times “ A look of dread went around the room as this realization set in. From a distance, they could hear a dull roar, one that was becoming all too familiar. 

“ That’s not good. “ Dustin voiced what everyone in the room was thinking.

In a whirlwind of action, Joyce and the others rushed in with an unconscious Will, Hopper following quickly behind. Kass checked the clip of her gun quickly as Hopper grabbed the assault rifle leaning against the wall. She slapped it back into the gun with an intimidating click as the group squared up in the living room.

“ Do you know how to use this? “ Hopper said quickly, holding the rifle out to Jonathan. When he did not answer quickly enough, he repeated. “ _Can you use this !?_ “ The desperation in his voice palpable.

“ I can ! “ Nancy said, stepping up to accept the responsibility. Kass felt admiration for Nancy in that moment. Pride warmed her, but was quickly replaced with dread as she turned her eyes back to the windows. Everyone was ready to fight, perhaps even ready to die. Kass knew that, if she was going down, it would be in good company. 

The team waited, everyone on edge. “ Where are they? “ Someone said. The tension was electric. The DemoDogs had arrived and were making threatening growls and purrs at the house. It sounded as though they were surrounded, or circling the yard, looking for an easy in.

“ What are they doing? “ All the questions were making Kass nervous. The DemoDogs continued to hiss and growl, everyone shifting to face the growls wherever they came from. Then, a strange crunch and a whine. Before Kass could put together the sound of a dying animal, a DemoDog came crashing through the window, colliding with the nearby furniture. It lay crumpled in a heap, unmoving. The creature looked almost slimy, amphibic and flower like. It’s jowls were splayed open and covered in a web-like saliva. Hopper began to move towards it while Kass kept her gun trained on the shattered window.

“ Holy shit. “

“ Is it dead? “

A creak alerted the group, and they all spun towards the front door. Kass switched her aim in the same direction, acutely aware of the fact that she could no longer hear any DemoDogs outside. Something was coming, and it was bigger and badder than the monsters she had committed her life to slaying. Everyone watched in awe as the lock on the door flipped open and the chain slid through. Then, the door opened to reveal a young woman with a bloody nose. A friend.

**MONDAY NOVEMBER 5TH**

The reunion was bittersweet in the early morning darkness. Kass felt like a stranger looking in through a window. She watched as people hugged, as others were ignored, and as the question of the year was asked. “ Could you close it? “

Kass was staring at the young girl responsible for opening the gate in Hawkins. The little girl was filled with unimaginable power, a connection to The Upside Down that they shared. She could feel it in her very bones. She had seen gates into The Upside Down before ; In truth, her family followed them. It was within their domain, and so the Agents had tasked them with control of these points. Most of the time, they were opened due to some kind of intense power surge ; an atom bomb test, Nikolai Tesla’s strange experiments, summoning circles, those sort of things. She had never heard of a single human exhibiting enough power to rip one open herself. However, there was no time to explain everything, and certainly not in front of the others. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, but bit her tongue in favor of secrecy. If this girl could open the gate, Kass had no doubt in her mind that she would be able to close it. Such a task often took a crowd of Agents of Daimon focusing all their power after the Ballard family had found and contained the gate.

If she survived the assault on the gate at Hawkins Lab, maybe she would get some answers. Before that could happen, however, she needed to get to a working phone. The closest neighbor to the Byers was a mile away. She could be there and back in twenty if she ran. “ Steve, “ Kass clapped a hand down on his forearm, determination in her eyes, “ I need to get to a phone, okay? “

“ You can’t go out there, it’s dangerous. “ Kass gave him a smile, thought the look on her face suggested he was crazy.

“ Twenty minutes. Tops. “ He seemed worried. “ Everyone is executing their plans, let me do mine. I’ll come right back and help you. “ He looked at her and Kass stared up into his eyes. Sincerity filled hers. “ I promise. “

\--

After leaving the Wheeler house, Billy felt conflicted. His mind was rattled and full of emotions he couldn’t quite get a handle on. One part of him was filled with rage, and if he was perfectly honest with himself, it dominated his every fiber. His face was still burning from the hit that his father had dealt him in front of Susan. The pain, the humiliation, the disappointment ; All of it was because of Max. The fury that was building in him was well hidden when he visited the Sinclair home, even though he hated every second he spent out looking for the red-headed pain in his neck. When got to the Wheeler home, however, he was able to do more than just hide his emotions. He had been able to suppress them for the sake of a little flirting. He had no idea what had been in store for him behind that door, and he had been pleasantly surprised. He knew that Nancy was a precious golden girl, but he had no idea that her mother was going to be one hell of a bombshell.

For the duration of his visit with Mrs. Wheeler, he had been able to put aside his anger with Max and his father to bask in the obvious adoration of the potential cougar. It had been just the ego boost he needed that night. Nothing like the attention of a robed older woman to really get the blood pumping. However, it had been short lived. He was handed yet another address, and he was already getting sick of wasting gas on the wild goose chase. By the time he was back in his car, his anger was bubbling to the surface again. He sped off down the street, purposefully ignoring the request that he drive slow. Billy didn’t know the meaning of the word slow. All he knew in that moment was, as soon as he found Max, she was going to pay for what she had done.

\--

The forests surrounding Hawkins and it’s residents were dark and dense, the perfect combination to house predators. Kass’s footsteps were nearly silent from years of practice, even as she ran with a rapidly beating heart. She could swear it was beating loud enough to echo in the night. The sooner she reached the neighboring property, the sooner she would be able to get back and help Steve defend the kids. The Mind Flayer knew of the Byers’ home and it made too much sense to send more dogs there, given the opportunity. It wasn’t privy to the plan yet .. But, she had to call her father. He needed to know what was going on and about the potential loss of her mother. Kass still held some hope that maybe Cynthia had made it out and was at home, just waiting for a phone call to let them know that she herself was still alive. Hell, she wasn’t even sure that the neighbors would even open the door to her incessant banging when she got there ..

A familiar synthetic purr sounded out to her left as she ran, and in a split second a heavy body slammed into her. Mid step, Kass felt the wind knock out of her gut as she was sent flying to the ground, rolling along the forest floor. Her roll was halted by a tree, the impact hard enough to sting. Having little to no time to linger on this pain, she moved just in time for the DemoDog to slam itself against the tree with a loud hiss. Scrambling back, Kass pulled her gun out and shot three bullets into the monster, which caused it to stop and shake slightly. Turning it’s head to her, it shrieked and flared its jaws out at her, exposing it’s rows of dagger teeth in anger, and possibly in intimidation. Pushing up to her feet, she began to run again, looking back behind her to find the creature gone. Stopping in her tracks, she held very still, looking around her frantically. 

Her eyes were glowing in the darkness, panic setting in, as a defense mechanism. She swept her vision across the area, seeing only fog and trees. A sudden movement out of the corner of her eyes landed on the beast moving at a rapid pace, zigzagging back and forth to doge the shots she was firing at it. “ Shit ! “ She cried as it got closer. The dog leapt and latched it’s jaws around her left forearm, thrown up in an attempt to block it from her neck. As it’s jaws gnawed and it’s dozens of razor teeth dig through her thick jacket and began to shred it, she could feel them digging into the flesh of her arm. Kass pressed the barrel of the gun against it’s neck and fire a few rounds until her clip was empty. The beast released her and slumped to the ground, but was still moving slowly, trying to crawl away from her. 

Ignoring the searing pain in her arm, Kass picked a large branch off the ground, her breathing labored and sweat dripping. Golden eyes flashed as she came upon the monster and swung the branch down on it in a heavy arcing blow. It landed and made a sickening crunch against the creatures bones and flesh. It was slimy and dark, blood splattering and covering the ground and nearby flora. In a fit of pure rage, she swung down two more times, crushing the beast over and over again. The adrenaline was pumping through her. Anger flowed, and as she lifted the branch once more, she paused. Kass was allowing the anger of The Mind Flayer to invade her emotions. Dropping the branch to the ground, she stared down at her arm and pushed her shredded sleeve up to look at the freshly flayed flesh on her arm. It looked much worse than it was, the top layers of her skin flayed. Nothing deep, thankfully. 

Shrugging out of her jacket, Kass pulled her shirt off and tore large strips from it, tying them around her arm. She put her jacket back on and zipped it up over herself. It would have to do for now. 


	10. Benched

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait !  
Sometimes life gets in the way.  
Please enjoy !

**MONDAY NOVEMBER 5TH**

Kass, true to her word despite her little scrap, was back at the Byers’ in twenty minutes. While she had to rush through one of the hardest phone calls she had ever made, Kass was not about to be called a liar. Thankfully, with enough banging on the door, the closest neighbor had allowed her to use their phone. She was a bleeding young girl, and Hawkins had a lot of neighborly folk. She told them that she needed to call an ambulance, that she’d been in a car accident, and they were happy to oblige. They even insisted that she stay there to wait. It was sweet of them. The message had been clear to her father : the danger, the potential loss of her mother .. It was so hard to simply spit it out at him and run. There were lives at stake, and she was sure that he understood. When it was all said and done, Kass was sure they could sit down together as a family later.

Making it back to the Byers home all in one piece, Kass allowed herself a moment to catch her breath outside. As she did so, she heard something strange coming from the house : Nothing. She knew that the team had split into groups, but the kids were supposed to have stayed behind, and they weren’t the quietest bunch. Something was wrong. Kass walked quickly up the steps to the house and put her hand on the door handle. It was unlocked. She took a quick gulp and pushed the door open slowly. All of the lights were still on, and as she peeked through the crack, she saw a body on the floor. 

To her surprise, she found none other than Billy Hargrove, and her confusion only mounted. He was flat on his back, unconscious. Kass ran to his side and knelt down next to him, quickly placing a pair of fingers against his throat, looking for a pulse. She found one, slow and steady, much like his rising chest once she calmed down enough to notice. Kass took stock of what was around her. The house was empty, there was a shattered plate on the ground in the kitchen, along with an empty syringe laying close to Billy’s body. The floor between his legs was smashed. She gazed at his face and saw the formations of some pretty nasty looking bruises. Something had happened, and she had a wretched feeling that Billy was the antagonist in whatever situation had played out. Kass’s memory went straight back to Tina’s party ; to the face off with Steve. 

“ Whatever happened here, “ Kass said with a sigh as she stood up, “ You probably deserved it. “ She placed her hands on her hips and looked around the room. It looked like a hurricane had come through. Poor Joyce was going to have a hell of a time cleaning up. She was also thinking about the bad time she was going to give Steve for ditching her. Walking into the kitchen, she found a broom and dustpan nearby and scooped up the broken plate quickly, depositing the fragments into the trash can. Next, she opened up the fridge only to have the large carcass of the DemoDog slide out and into her. She yelped slightly, and stepped out of the way, hearing it slop to the ground with a sickening squish. Her hand came up to her face in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart before she growled in frustration and slapped her hand into the fridge, grabbing a bag of frozen peas from the freezer.

Billy had not moved, not that Kass had expected him to. She made her way over and stood over him momentarily, dropping the bag of peas onto his face in a not so gentle manner. He flinched slightly, but did not wake. She went down the hall to the Byers’ bathroom and began tearing it apart looking for a first aid kit. When she finally found one, she went into Jonathan’s room and grabbed a t-shirt out of his closet and took her jacket off, changing into it. Bringing the first aid kit in the living room, she sat next to Billy on the ground. 

Kass made quick work of the injury. Cynthia was a doctor, after all. Sure, Kass wasn’t as skilled, but she could clean and wrap a wound. Untying the destroyed pieces of her shirt, she winced as the fabric clung to her wound. It was still bleeding, but looked much worse than it felt. Pulling out a bottle of alcohol from the kit, she grit her teeth and poured it in, using the tweezers to pull small razor teeth out of various points. The process was grueling, but by the end of it, she had the wound cleaned and wrapped. Her blood was seeping through the bandages a bit, but once she got home, it would be a quick fix.

With a small smirk, she adjusted the bag into a better position on Billy’s left cheek. Fingertips brushed the curls off of his forehead as she sat, staring at nothing. “ Look who needs babysitting, now. “ She laughed at her own joke, looking down at him. Billy looked rather peaceful in his state of unconsciousness. At least he wasn’t running his mouth. 

To think that they were virtual strangers a few days ago, and now here they were. Alone in a stranger’s house, one of them unconscious and the other feeling completely useless. ‘ _How did it end up like this?_ ‘ she thought, leaning her chin into her hand. She was almost positive that he would rather be anywhere but there, and based on how he was dressed and the smell of cologne on him, that had been his plan. The only reason she could think of for him to be here was Max, but how did he know she was there? Kass had a whole lot of questions and relatively no way to answer them. 

Somewhere out in Hawkins, three small teams were saving the entire town, and potentially the entire world. Kass had never thought she would be benched at such a pivotal time. It was almost surreal. She was idly playing with one of the buttons on Billy’s shirt, flicking at it as she moved the peas bag around his face every couple of minutes. He was beginning to stir a bit, but still seemed very much disoriented. Once he woke fully, she planned to move him to the couch to wait for the others. Initially, Kass had the idea to drive him home, but his car was not out front. In the back of her mind, she could feel the rising emotions of The Mind Flayer beginning to come through. For the last year, they had been so much stronger than before. Now, she could feel anger and panic radiating deep within. 

After some time had passed and she could feel tensions rising in her own body, the whole house lit up like a military base. The lights grew so bright, she had to shield her eyes. A few light bulbs began to pop here and there, and she threw her body over Billy’s head and neck to protect him from shattered glass. Then, as suddenly as it happened, it receded. And, almost simultaneously, The Mind Flayer’s emotions faded out. They didn’t go away completely, she could still feel anger, but it was dull. It was the low burning tickle in the back of her mind that she had grown up with. Something had happened. That little girl had closed the gate. It was over? Billy’s eyes began to flutter open. Dazed blues tried to focus in the light of the house. The first thing he saw was Kass’s neck as she looked around the room. When she finally did look at him, he couldn’t understand how she had gotten there. She looked tired, dirty, and disheveled. “ Kass? “ he managed to get out, weak as he was.

“ Sleeping beauty, “ She said with a smug smile. 

He tried to push up his arms, but there were virtually jello. “ Why didn’t you wake me “ He said slowly.

“ Sorry, “ Kass stood up and slid her arm under his back, helping him up. He was heavy, and she grunted under his weight and the pain in her arm. “ Fresh out of true love kisses. “ He did his best to help her as she dragged him over to the sofa, and sat him down with as gentle a thud as she could.

The memory of what had happened came rushing back to him. The confrontation at the car, assaulting Lucas, the fight with Harrington, and the final bit with Max. He was too zonked to be angry at the moment, but he did feel humiliated. “ What do you know. Little shit’s got some fire.“ He said flatly. Kass looked at him with a lost expression. “ What did they tell you? “ Again, nothing. She shrugged. “ I’m asking you what Harrington and those brats told you. “ He was growling at her now, but the rise of his voice shocked his head a bit, causing a minor headache. Whether it had been from the syringe or from the hits he took, Billy couldn’t tell.

Kass did not take his tone well. She walked away from him and picked up the pea bag from the floor. Moving back to him, he reached a hand out for it, the other holding his head gently. Kass threw it into his face, her own completely poker, not too thrilled that he was beginning to yell. He yelped slightly from the impact.

“ There was no one here when I arrived. Just you. Knocked out. On the floor. “ The words were said with a slight scathing tone. A beat, and then, “ Did you drive here. “

“ Of course I did. “ He pushed the pea bag against his face, the words coming out irritated. “ Car’s out front. “ 

“ Try again. “

“ Are you _fucking_ kidding me?! “ He growled, aiming his yell at Kass. Focusing his eyes, Billy watched her cross her arms and saw her arm bandaged, bright red blood seeping through in a soft blur. “ What happened? “ His tone was still angry, but she caught a hint of concern.

“ Hunting accident, “ A smirk crossed her face when he looked frustrated at her answer.

“ Kass- “ Kass laughed at him, interrupting, and then sat down. He leaned back on the couch, giving up and resting his head on the back and struggling to hold the frozen compress on his head. She shooed his hand away and held it for him, sure his arms felt way heavier than normal. Billy was grateful for the assistance, but did not voice this. His pride had taken quite the beating that night. He could still clearly see Max, even as she had been fading out at the time. He had been forced to admit his defeat, in much the same manner as he did with his father. Max had used his own insecurities against him. He would not soon forget.

“ I don’t know what happened here, but I’m going to tell you what is going to happen. “

“ Don’t, “ He said through grit teeth, “ try to tell me what to do. “

She ignored him. “ When Steve and the kids come back,. “ She moved the bag to a different spot on his face. “ You are going to stay quiet or be civil. “ Billy gave her an angry side-eye.

Billy remained silent. Kass reached over and fixed his collar and then gently moved a curl out of his eyes. “ Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be. “ Then, softer, “ I’m asking this as a favor, Billy. “

He cast a sideways glance at her again, seeing the sincerity in her honey eyes. “ Fine. “ He reached up a hand and grabbed the wrist of her hand that was adjusting his hair. “ You owe me. “

Rolling her eyes, Kass leaned back on the couch as he took the bag of peas from her and managed to hold it against his face on his own. They continued to sit in silence on the couch, and he could see that Kass looked very tired. It would have been easy for her to just doze off, but she stayed resilient. Billy had no idea what had happened to her that night, but it had taken its toll. It was like seeing a whole new side of her ; Kass had always presented herself as this strong and disinterested person. But sitting beside him was someone who looked defeated and much more relaxed, in a way. Her shoulders were slumped, her guard was down. The two of them sat side by side, left behind to wallow in different styles of defeat.

“ You can lean on me, if you want, “ Billy said, offering her his version of an olive branch.

Kass gave him a soft giggle and did not move. “ You’d like that, wouldn’t you. “ It wasn’t a question, and it had a playful tone. Something about hearing her laugh and light-hearted tone made him feel a bit better, but he wouldn’t admit it. There was something soft between them, and even Billy could not deny that.

\---

The silence was eventually broken some time later by the roar of the Camaro. Out of the three teams that went out, Steve and the kids were the first back. Well, Steve and Max. He had driven the car around Hawkins and dropped off all the kids, hoping to find Billy still unconscious when he came back. The two of them walked into the house to find Kass and Billy sitting on the couch, both of them dozing. Billy stirred from his light doze as Steve quietly walked over to Kass and crouched down in front of her so that he was looking up into her sleepy face. 

“ Kass, “ Steve said, cupping her face in his hands.

Her eyes fluttered out of her light doze and she gazed down into Steve broken face. The sight of him shocked her awake, “ Oh my-, “ She put her hands on the side of his neck and turned his head from side to side, “ What happened to you? “ Steve looked over at Billy quickly, seeing that Billy had his eyes open now and was staring back at him. Max stood in the background, watching Billy and Steve warily, wondering that Steve was going to say. He quickly grabbed Kass’s wrists and pulled her hands away from his face gently.

“ We beat the bad guy, that’s what. “ Steve was so glad that Dustin was around to out him. “ Battle scars. Hot right? “ He was joking, but in reality, his face hurt. A lot. 

Kass was not amused, but she allowed herself a smile and gently slapped his face. He winced and she laughed. “ I’m glad you’re okay. “ She leaned forward and hugged him close. Steve stood with her in his arms, lifting her up with him. He looked down at Billy, who was now sitting up. A heavy wash of overprotectiveness came over him. He then noticed her arm. “ Kass, what the hell? “

She only shrugged. Before anyone could say anything else, Kass pulled away from Steve and walked over to Maxine. She knelt down to the younger girl’s level and gently squeezed her upper arms. “ Are you okay? “

“ Yeah, totally. Totally. “ Max was watching Billy. Kass followed her gaze over to the older boy.

“ I don’t know what happened here, and I don’t need to know. “ 

“ I’m fine to drive, “ Billy proclaimed as he stood up and tossed the peas down on the nearby side table. 

“ Fine, “ Kass did not have the energy to argue. “ Steve, where is your car? “

“ Back at Dustin’s. “

“ Billy, “ Kass turned to him. The tension in the room was high, and Kass could feel it. “ Drive me and Steve back to his car, and he can take me home. “

“ I would really rather- “

“ Please. “ The finality it Kass’s tone was hard to argue with. Max didn’t believe her eyes when she watched her brother hold a hand out to Steve for his keys and conceded. All it took was a please from this girl? She gave Kass a look of wonderment, like she was some kind of witch. Without a word, the four of them walked outside. Steve and Max got into the back and Kass took the front seat, in a silent agreement that she should be the one to be sitting next to Billy for the time being. No one spoke for the entire drive, though Billy did make it a point to prop his arm up on the back of Kass’s seat, in a very possessive manner. He turned to stare into the back seat, giving Steve the evil eye. Kass was oblivious, as she was back to near dozing. When they pulled up, Billy had been driving uncharacteristically safe. 

Steve and Kass got out of the car. Something compelled Max to hug both Steve and Kass, perhaps it was their shared near-death. “ Take care, Max, “ Kass said sweetly. Despite the fact that Billy detested Max in that moment, he felt a gratefulness to Kass for being kind to his step-sister. It passed very quickly. Max watched as Kass reached a hand across to Billy’s face. She caressed him, her thumb rubbing over his cheekbone in a very tender way, but she did not say goodbye. The younger girl was even surprised to see her older brother lean into Kass’s caress. ‘ _ What the hell?_ ‘ She thought. She had never seen Billy look so sincere and soft.

As soon as the door closed, the hard look on his face returned. He turned to stare at Max briefly before revving the engine and driving out into the darkness, leaving Steve and Kass standing in the darkness. The young red-head was feeling a wash of confidence since she had laid out Billy and forced him into submission. It was an amazing high, and one that she had never thought she would achieve. After witnessing what had just happened between her brother and Kass, and seeing Kass and Steve standing together in the darkness as they drove away, she turned hard eyes towards Billy. “ I don’t know what’s going on between you and Kass, but you don’t deserve her. “

Billy did not respond, but focused his eyes on the street ahead of him. Max’s opinion meant very little to him, and after that night, things would be different between them. He was not in the mood to argue with her about anything, especially not his strange relationship with Kassandra Ballard.

\---

Steve and Kass stood in the darkness. It was well into Monday morning, and the two of them were both completely drained of energy. The fighting, the monsters, the emotions, everything had taken its toll on their young bodies. Steve face was broken and bloody, Kass’s spirits were fractured and she was starting to reel from her own suppressed feelings. The only place left to go was home, and she knew that she would have to face her father and sister. No one had any idea if there had been any survivors left at Hawkins Lab, but she felt it deep down in her gut. Her mother was gone. Steve walked over to her, scratching the back of his head and at a loss for words. What could he say? Aside from his inability to help the situation, he was also in a huge amount of pain. The idea of going home looking like he did and having to face his parents was weighing heavily on his mind as well.

“ Look, ah, Kass, “ Steve said as he moved closer to her. “ Do you wanna .. Talk? “ In a swift motion, she turned and buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso. No sounds or sobs, no tears, but she held him tight. Steve wrapped his arms around her and cradled her head. “ I’m sorry, Kass. “

Her silence was deafening and it said more than words ever could. She released him, eyes only slightly moist. “ Please take me home. I need to be with my family right now. “

“ You got it. “

The two of them climbed into Steve’s car after he stashed his beloved baseball bat in the trunk. As they drove down the streets at an easy pace, Steve set the radio down to low and let the music drone. Kass rolled the window down and felt the cool morning breeze on her face. Her chestnut hair was a mess after that night, and the wind was not doing anything to help. Both of them looked and felt as though they had been through hell that night, and this only strengthened their bond of friendship. Kass broke the silence a bit suddenly. “ What _really_ happened. “ It was more of a statement than a question, and Steve knew exactly what she was talking about.

“ Oh, uh, my, uh, face? “ He was stalling. She did not look at him. He exhaled a very deep sigh, his head turning from his window to the windshield a few times. Steve drummed his fingertips on the steering wheel a few times, adjusted himself in the driver’s seat. Kass could feel the nervous energy coming from him, but remained silent, much to his discomfort. 

“ Show me yours and i’ll show you mine? “

Kass smiled. “ DemoDog. “

Steve frowned, but decided not to push further. “ Yeah, so .. Billy and I kinda got into it. You know, boy stuff. “

“ Seems really immature in the face of monsters, doesn’t it. “

Her words were biting, and Steve knew she was right. “ Look, he got aggressive with Lucas and Max. I couldn’t just let him hurt the kids. “ A serious tone entered his voice, and Kass closed her eyes. She knew that Billy was aggressive and had a bit of a mean streak, but kids? That was something she didn’t want to think about, but she had no reason to think Steve would lie to her. “ That would be bad for my budding babysitting business. “ Steve was attempting to make light of the situation, and it was obvious to her that he was not good at talking about sensitive topics.

“ You did the right thing. “ Kass turned to face him, her face scrunched with worry. “ I’m sorry you got hurt, Steve. “

The way she said his name was so sweet, and Steve found himself smiling softly. “ It’s not your fault. It’s his. “ He laughed, remembering a few fleeting moments from the brawl. “ Man, Kass, he kicked my ass though. Dude can fight. “

They laughed together, and Steve felt confident despite his loss. He felt like a bigger person for admitting his defeat. Billy fought like a wild animal, and it was nothing Steve had ever experienced in their small town before. The thought crossed his mind that Billy had probably been in a lot more fights than he had. The same thought crossed Kass’s mind as well, but something told her it was not always with other boys. The way he had reacted to her injuries the other morning, and the look on his face when he had accused her father was very telling.

When they pulled up to her home, Kass leaned over and gave him a hug. “ I’ll see you at school. “

“ Are you sure you don’t want me to come in with you? “ 

“ I’ll be okay. Eventually. “

“ Alright. I’ll see you soon? “ Kass nodded in response and closed the car door after exiting. She slapped the hood of the car and waved to him as he drove away. Turning to face her house, she saw the porch light click on and the front door open, her father’s silhouette framed in the doorway.


	11. Birthday

**TUESDAY NOVEMBER 13TH**

The following week felt like a hurricane. In the eye of the storm, she felt disconnected from the things happening around her. Too much had happened in the span of only a few days, and it was overwhelming. Hawkins Lab had been closed down by a guerilla article citing a chemical leak, and much of what had happened the year before was blamed on that. The mysterious disappearance and assumed death of Nancy’s friend Barb was finally put to rest,the U.S. Department of Energy as the scapegoat. In a matter of mere days, the entire lab had been closed off and cleaned up. All of the bodies had been collected and disposed of in some way, though Kass hated to think what might have become of all the people inside. The cover up was one of the biggest events that no one was talking about. What had all the families been told? Her father had been contacted by the Agents of Daimon, telling him that the best thing to say would be that he and Cynthia had split up. They’d also asked him to gather more information about Eleven, ordering Kass to keep herself close but to not interfere with their investigations surrounding the girl. She’d never had a chance to speak with the younger girl, but her Father and Hopper had a quick conversation. Nothing was being admitted to, which only made the Agents more frustrated and curious. She was glad to stay out of it, with so many other things going on and her focus being on grieving her mother.

Kass scoffed at the idea of her parents splitting, but it was as good an excuse as any. In a matter of days, her already chaotic life had somehow become even more turbulent. Her father took Cynthia’s death the hardest. He was forlorn for days afterwards, and they weren’t even permitted to mourn with a funeral. Layla was doing her best to console him, despite how much it was impacting her as well. The most difficult act was going to school and pretending everything was just fine. While the Ballard family were no strangers to lying to the public, this proved to be their biggest challenge yet.

Especially since one other person in Hawkins knew the truth : Steve Harrington. 

He had proved himself to be a true friend, however, and kept his mouth shut on her behalf. He played along with the lies, and the entire group of amateur hunters had been sworn to secrecy by Federal Agents about the truth of Hawkins Lab. Mountains of paperwork were signed, and life seemingly returned to normal. The lab was shuttered up, and that should have been the end of that. It was Layla’s job to circulate the rumor of their mother leaving, as it was uncharacteristic of Kass to speak to others on personal affairs. It would have sounded forced if she had tried to bring it up to anyone. The idea of rumors was sickening to her, considering the truth of what had happened. 

As for Billy : She was doing her best to avoid him. Having been thrown together by fate each time, she associated him with the chaos of everything else. He seemed to be one of the few people who could get under her skin and force an emotional response from her, and she could not afford to let that happen. He was a liability, and until the heat came off of the Hawkins Lab story, she could not risk it. Never in her life had she known someone who could bring out her emotions the way he did. It wasn’t a compliment, in her opinion.. She had kissed him, screamed at him, held his hand, sat holding a bag of frozen peas to his bruised face ; All things she had no business doing with someone she barely knew. Not only that, but with the gate closed and The Mind Flayer’s connection cut off from their world, his emotions were all but gone ; Nothing more than a very distant pin-prick of a whisper. Which meant that everything she felt now was real. It was easy to blame her choices on the Mind Flayer’s light influences before, but now it was all her.

The bell rang out through the halls of Hawkins High. It was a jarring reminder that class was about to begin, prompting Kass to walk through the homeroom door to her favorite spot by the window. It was a nice breezy day, sunlight pouring in from a cold sky. Winter was almost upon them and Kass could feel the comfort of snow approaching. Perhaps it was her birthday being on the Winter Solstice, but Kass had always had a preference for the cold. As long as she could remember, she enjoyed the snow. It did occur to her that it could be due to the Mind Flayer, but she opted to disregard.

Outside of the classroom, Billy was leaning up against a set of lockers, sweet talking one of their female classmates. When the bell rang, he turned his eyes towards the classroom door. It was slowly filling with students, and as he walked in himself, his blue eyes settled on Kass seated by the window. She was framed in a wash of light from outside, and she was staring out absently, wearing long sleeves to hide her injuries . They had not spoken or interacted at all in the past week. The truth was, he knew that she was avoiding him. Even better, he was doing the same. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw her. Images from their past encounters flashed into his mind. The way she looked down at him with worry on the Byers’ floor, her laughing at him when he realized he’d been car-jacked, the look in her eyes when she caressed his face as she was leaving. He remembered the way he had leaned into her touch.

He’d been content to distract himself from all the questions that burned in his mind about that night. After all, life goes on. The school had been abuzz with the news of Hawkins Lab being shut down permanently, about the girl that had died, and a new rumor about Layla and Kass’s mother leaving. That last bit of information was very interesting to him. While he might have been avoiding Kass after his show of weakness, he had never stopped paying attention. The gears were turning in his head, and it was a painfully familiar story. Picking up a girl who was walking alone in the middle of the night covered in burns, bruises, and cuts? A mother cutting out suddenly? Billy had felt his gut tighten when the rumor first came to him. The night he had found her looking like a war veteran on that country road, he had seen all the signs. He’d allowed her to tell him that he was wrong, but his own bruises and experience called her a liar. 

Billy was brought back down to Earth as the bell rang again. He looked a little lost for a moment, but a hearty clap on the back from a classmate got him moving. He flashed a smile at the nameless boy, even though he had no idea what he was smiling about. There was an empty desk behind Kass, and before he had the chance to talk himself out of it, he took it. While the class was still settling in, he pushed the desk forward in quick, grating motions until it was right up against the back of Kass’s chair. He leaned forward as far as he could, “ Hey. “ When she did not answer him, he put his foot onto the basket under her desk roughly, rattling her seat slightly. Billy was not the most patient person. “ We need to talk. “

Straightening up when a student walked past him, he faked a smile. “ Hey, BIRTHDAY BOY. “ The kid said with an irritating drawl and loud enough that the other students cheered slightly. “ You throwing a party or what? “

Billy sat back and flashed a charming grin to the other students, “ I’m more of a party crasher, myself. “ The words garnered a playful boo from everyone around him, to which he chuckled. “ I’m impressed, Hawkins. Didn’t we just have a party, you animals? “ another enthusiastic teasing boo roared. “ If someone wants to throw a party, i’m not opposed. “

There were some excited murmurs as people began to gossip about whether it was happening or not. Kass had bore witness to the entire affair and he could see her shoulders go a bit tense. He leaned forward once more, close to her ear. “ Humor me. It’s my birthday “ He heard her let out an exasperated sigh and was happy to take that as a yes. He was even more pleasantly surprised when he heard it.

“ Fine. “ She did not turn to look at him. ‘ _ Good enough_, ‘ He thought as he sat back.

The rest of the day was like watching grass grow. Despite the fact that they had a few classes together and he saw her frequently throughout the day, he did his best to be patient. It was not one of his strongest qualities, and he couldn’t help but at least make his presence known. By the end of the day, Kass was acutely aware of Billy everywhere she went. She was grateful that he was at least keeping a distance, and busying himself with birthday greetings and carousing with his entourage. The birthday mention had been an opportunistic measure of pressure, and she had allowed it to work. As under-handed as it was, Kass didn’t have it in her to be rude on his day. 

When the dismissal bell rang out, students flooded the hallways as they rushed to their lockers and cars. It was the usual upstream swim to Kass’s locker, but lucky for her it was at least near the entrance to the building. She waved goodbye to a few people here and there, and by the time she was scrolling through the circular lock, Layla had caught up to her. It wasn’t often that they met away from the car, so Kass was a little surprised to see her. “ Hey Kass, “ she said with a soft smile. “ I’m going to stay the night at Denise’s house. We have a big project tomorrow so we’re gonna pull an all-nighter. “ She put a hand on her older sister’s arm as Kass was storing books away. “ Are you going to be okay at home? “

“ I’m a big girl, “ Kass said, “ Besides, “ She closed her locker and looked down the hall to see Billy walking their way, “ Apparently, I have plans. “

The man of the hour was walking towards them, a smile on his face and his hands stuffed into his pockets. Compared to how tired and antisocial Kass was feeling, Billy practically radiated confidence and energy. The difference was cats and dogs. He waved to the two of them with a smile as he approached. Layla waved back. Kass did not.

“ Happy Birthday, Billy ! “ Layla said with a friendly tone as she moved in for a hug. 

Billy wrapped his arms around her and lifted her slightly in a bear hug. “ Thanks, Layla. “ He set her down and looked at Kass as he pulled a cigarette pack out of his pocket. “ Kass? “ He offered the pack out to her after pulling a cigarette out with his teeth.

They were still in the hall, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his arrogance. However, the itch for a smoke was starting to bubble up inside her. Looking back at him, at the pack, back at him ; She caved. Kass took the pack from him and pulled out a cigarette as well, but held it in her hand rather than brandishing it at the school faculty. “ Are you ready to go? I’d hate to pull you away from all your .. “ She fluttered her fingers dismissively at the hall of kids.

“ I didn’t realize you guys were becoming such good friends, “ Layla said with a barely hidden frown. Kass wanted to tell her that they were not, but she had to stop and think for a moment. Were they? She hadn’t had much to give it any thought. “ I was going to ask to borrow the car, but maybe- “

“ I’ll drive Kass home, “ Billy interjected with too much enthusiasm for Kass’s taste. He stared at Kass until she sighed and pulled the car key out of her pocket. Her brian was far too tired to fight him at the moment, and she slapped the car key into Layla’s hand, never taking her annoyed gaze off of him. Layla observed the scene and found a very smug Billy and a very irritated Kass, but she still wasn’t sure what to make of it. Somewhere in her gut, it almost felt like they were dating. Part of her hoped it wasn’t true, simply because of her crush, but another part of her knew that Kass deserved something fun and exciting. Maybe Billy could be that for her. Ultimately, Layla decided to just let things be. She waved with the keys in her hand, still confused, but feeling alright about leaving Kass alone for the night after all. 

“ You kids stay out of trouble, “ She piped up with a cheery tone. Kass looked at her with an exasperated look, but waved her goodbye. 

Her golden eyes turned towards him, and he couldn’t help but notice that they were noticeably less gold. “ After you, “ He motioned towards the exit of the hall with his arm. As she moved forward, he wrapped that arm around her shoulders and handed her his lighter. The halls hadn’t quite cleared out and a few students stopped to watch the two walk outside together. They had not actually interacted at school yet, she realized all too late. ‘ _ Small town_, ‘ She thought. ‘ _News travels fast._ ‘ She did her best to not let her mind dwell on that as they walked to his car.

“ Billy, I - “ She stopped herself. She took in a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face. “ Happy Birthday. “ He leaned down towards her and tapped his cheek expectantly. Once again, Kass found herself rolling her eyes at him before she placed a very chaste peck on his cheek. Her eyes darted around to see a handful of kids watching. 

“ Ignore them. “

“ I’m sorry, “ Her voice tipped the edge of sounding irritated. “ What was it you wanted to talk about? “

“ We’ll get to that, “ He said as he pointed toward the middle school. Right on cue, Max was lumbering towards them with her board in hand. “ I have to take Max home first. “

When the younger girl came up to them, she seemed a bit confused to see Kass. They had not really seen each other since the night they fought off the monsters. However, that was quickly replaced by happiness. She walked up to her and gave her a hug. Billy watched Kass’s entire demeanor change. The hug was a genuine one and Kass held on for quite a while. He’d never been jealous of a child more in his life. Huffing a bit, he motioned for them to get in the car. “ Billy driving you home? What happened to your car. “

“ My sister took the car and Billy was _so_ nice to offer me a ride. “ Kass’s entire tone was different around Max. Children were so impressionable, as she knew, and she didn’t want to appear cold. Billy was a grown man, Max .. Kass didn’t want to instill any subliminal negativity into her. 

“ That _is_ really nice of him. “ Max shot a questionable look at Billy in his rear view. “ He’s just .. Dropping you off? “ Kass propped her elbow on the edge of the window, knowing what the implication was. 

Billy was holding back laughter at the exchange. He couldn’t wait to hear her response, his fingers drumming the steering wheel. “ I’m buying him dinner. “ She said after a moment of thinking. “ Since we’re friends. “

The relationship between Max and Billy had changed very dramatically in the week since their violent “ boss battle “, as the boys called it. It seemed that both of them were able to vent their mounting anger ; Max on Billy, and Billy on Steve. They seemed to have reached a neutral ground, and a state of peace to some degree. Billy had even been a little proud of Max for standing up to him. It was more than he had ever done with Neil. The Hargrove-Mayfield home had seemingly settled. Neil still had his bouts of anger and violence, but that was never going to change. Now, Max and Billy were on the same side and did their best to keep things peaceful in the home. There was still tension and they were not close, but they were headed in the right direction. 

Once they were close to his home, Billy felt the ease leave him. The house loomed ahead, and a feeling of dread came over him, especially as he spotted Neil’s vehicle in the driveway. The camaro came to a stop outside the house and he killed the engine, finishing off his cigarette and putting it out in the ashtray. Kass had ditched hers out the window a while ago, not being entirely comfortable with smoking around a kid. 

“ Do you wanna see my room, Kass? “ Max said with a smile. 

“ No, no, no. “ Billy shook his head, “ Not happening. “

“ Come on, Billy, “ Max whined.

“ Yeah, come on, Billy. “ Kass reiterated, also whining, to his horror and delight. She gave him a fake pout, and he cocked an eyebrow at her. He’d never seen her do that before, and he hated to admit that it was a little cute. He turned away from her, realizing that she was playing his game, loosening up a bit. Pulling the key out of the ignition, he pushed his door open a little too hard and got out, closing it carefully after feeling he’d been too rough opening it. Max clapped Kass excitedly on the shoulder.

“ Yessssss ! “ She got out quickly and ran to her brother as Kass also got out, though much slower. Max nudged Billy quickly. “ Don’t look so worried. Nothing’s gonna happen. Besides, “ She smiled confidently as they reached the porch, “ She could take him. “ The jaunty tilt of her chin in Kass’s direction brought a chuckle out of him.

‘ It’s not her i’m worried about, ‘ He thought as he held the door open for Max and Kass, who caught up and walked past him, her own smug smile crossing her face. 

Once inside the house, they were all greeted by Susan with a cautious smile. She had been cleaning up around the house, and quickly wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress before moving from the opposite side of their dinner table. Holding out her hand to Kass, she spoke in a very warm, low tone. “ Hello, “ She said, lengthening the syllables a little bit as she looked at Billy quizzically. “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize that Billy was having company over. “ He put on a smile for Susan, but when his eyes fell on Neil, they turned devoid of emotion. Kass had not noticed as she was being greeted by Susan. “ Ignore the mess ; It’s so nice to meet you , sweetie. “

“ Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Hargrove. “ 

“ Oh, please, just call me Susan, “ Her demeanor was soft and almost mousy when she saw Neil coming over. 

“ Kassandra, “ she said, mustering every friendly fiber in her being. She held her hand out to Neil, the smile maintaining. “ Mr. Hargrove, Sir. “ 

Neil shook her hand and noted her firm handshake before turning to Billy and Max. “ Friend from school? “ There was an unbelievably strong feeling of tension in the air between Neil and Billy. She released Neil’s hand, and Max grabbed it with a smile.

“ There’s this, uhm, study program at the school ! “ She was lying through her teeth, and doing a very good job at it. Kass wondered how often they both lied to their parents. “ Kass is my assigned buddy. “ She beamed, and then looked over at Billy. “ She’s also friends with Billy. “

“ I’m so glad you two are making friends, “ Susan said quickly. “ It’s so nice of you to help Max with school. “

“ Oh, it’s no problem. “ Kass said, turning up the charm. Billy was amazed to see her look so approachable and quickly slapped on his own smile, despite his father’s suspicious looks. “ Looks great on a college application, and I couldn’t have picked a better kid. Max is sharp as a tack. “ She nodded her head in the direction of the small redhead, “ I’m sure you knew that already. “

“ Is it okay if I show her my room? “ Max said quickly, Billy moving past them and down the hall to his own room. He needed to get out of Neil’s line of sight. Just the presence of that man made his blood boil. 

“ Of course, “ Susan said, almost nervously as she looked at her husband. Neil still had his eyes trained on Kass.

“ Doors stay open. “

“ Yes, Sir, “ Max said as she grabbed Kass by the hand and led her down the hall. Neil returned to his place on the couch and Susan fell back into cleaning. Once they were down the hall, they were out of sight. Max let go of Kass and pushed her door open. She started pointing at various things around the room, but Kass was only partly listening. Her mind was still on the introductions, the heavy feeling in the air between Neil and Billy. It almost felt like a storm had barely missed them. Max continued to chatter on, as kids did, and Kass hung against the door frame. She leaned back out into the hall and looked down towards where Billy had disappeared. “ They don’t get along. “

Max’s voice was crystal clear, but very low. Kass looked back at the redhead who stood in the middle of her room looking like a startled deer. She tilted her head at the young girl. “ Who? “ She asked, but she had a feeling.

“ Neil and Billy, “ She sat on the edge of her bed, almost whispering. “ Sometimes it gets bad. “ That was enough. Kass could see that Max was shaken, perhaps by a not-so-fond memory. “ You can go check on him, if you want. He probably wants to leave. “

Moving out of the door frame, Kass began to walk down the hallway. She looked behind her and saw no eyes watching her progress. Her fingers idly trailed along the wall as she went, reaching Billy’s door and looking inside. A light knock alerted him to her presence as he dug through his closet. He pulled out a nice black button up and tossed it onto his bed. Turning around to face her, he motioned for her to come in and began unbuttoning his shirt. Ignoring him, she looked around his room. There was a lot to be learned about someone by looking at their personal living space. He had weights scattered, ashtrays, some dirty clothes thrown about. Beer cans, a large tapestry covering most of his window, some posters. Kass had never seen such a perfect representation of a typical young man. His bed was situated directly across from the door, and to the left of the door was a couch. 

Admiring the impressive stereo set up next to the couch, she slid her finger lightly down a tower of cassette tapes. She turned around to see him pull his shirt off and toss it onto the couch by her, grabbing the black one from his bed. “ Nice collection. “

“ Yeah? You like what you see? “ He turned his body towards her fully as he slipped the shirt on, spending far too long buttoning it before her. Kass rolled her eyes, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. 

“ I’m not here to stroke your ego. “

“ Thinking about stroking something else? “ Billy taunted as he walked towards her. She allowed him to get very close, standing her ground with a confident smile. Reaching out her hands, she took over buttoning up his shirt for him, making quick work of it and slapping her hand on his chest with firm finality.

“ You ask a lot of questions. “ Kass walked back over to the door of his room, backing out of it so that she was part way in the hall. She cast a glance down the hall and saw Max’s head of hair quickly disappear back into her room. “ Who are you even trying to dress up for? “

“ I just want to look nice for this birthday dinner, “ He said, grabbing his jacket and following her into the hall. He lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned into her. “ Your words, not mine. “

When they came out from down the hall, Susan smiled. Neil did not move from his place on the couch. “ Are you two off? You don’t want to stay for dinner? “

“ Sorry, Susan. We have plans. “ Billy said, offering her a sympathetic look. “ Don’t wait up. “ He held the door open for Kass.

“ It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Hargrove. Mr. Hargrove. “ The words were trailed out of her as Billy put a hand on the small of her back to usher her out the door at a faster pace. Once outside, he closed the door firmly. She had thought about mentioning to him that rushing her past his step-mother was a bit rude, but bit her tongue. Something told her it was less about Susan and more about someone else. They walked down to the car and she got in quickly, settling in as he slid into the driver’s seat. “ I was thinking, “ She said carefully, “ I have a lot of food at home, “ Kass fidgeted a bit with the seam of her jacket, “ Maybe it would be nicer if I cooked something- “

Before she could finish her thought, Billy turned the key and the engine of the camaro roared to life. “ Say no more. “ 


	12. Cheers

A wide smile broke out across his face as he gunned it down the street. Billy turned the music up loud, rock music rattling through her bones as they flew down the street. He was a reckless driver, but Kass was at ease. They made record time to her house. When he killed the engine, he put a hand on her forearm to keep her from getting out of the vehicle. “ We both know that a birthday dinner is not why we’re here. “

He was still smiling, but his tone was serious. He turned his pretty blue eyes towards her, and Kass found it hard to meet his gaze for the first time since they had met. “ What is, “ Her tone was flat in an attempt to hide her nerves.

“ Before we go in there, “ He pointed at her home directly, “ I need to know what’s going on. “

“ I don’- “

“ Cut the bullshit, Kass. “ A sudden shift in his tone made her look up at him and found that he was not smiling any longer. For a second, and she hated to admit it, but the look of concern in his eyes made her heart skip. A deep sigh came out of her and she gave him a weak smile. He ignored the obvious signs that she did not wish to talk and pushed, giving her arm a small squeeze. “ What’s going on at home? “

“ Why don’t you be a bit more specific, Billy. “ There was pain layered into her tone, and he could tell she was on the edge of being upset. All day long she’d been more emotive than he had ever seen. Something happened, changed, but he couldn’t tell what. As far as he was concerned, something pretty important had to occur for such a profound shift in personality. 

“ You’ve been avoiding me, “ He said bluntly. “ You’re acting weird. “

“ You don’t even know me. “

“ I know enough to be able to tell that you’re acting weird, “ He released her arm. “ So, what’s going on. “

“ Didn’t you hear? “ She snipped back at him. “ My mother abandoned us. “ The word was dripping with sarcasm.

“ Did she? “ The question was soft, not pressing.

“ Gone. “ That sounded like the truth to him. It was a hard pill for him to swallow, and it was something that he could relate to with painful accuracy. His mother had left when he was very young, due to his father’s abuse. This information, coupled with the crazy amounts of bruises and burns she’d had when they spoke over a week ago, was enough to make him question. 

“ Your dad. Did he hit her? “

Kass spun around, her golden eyes so alight with fury, they seemed to glow like before. “ My father would never do that. “ She was angry, but he could tell that it wasn’t about him. Her voice was strained, just shy of shaking with emotion. “ They loved each other. “ Collecting herself, she took another deep breath. “ I’m sorry, Billy. I just don’t want to talk about it. “ She put her hand over his and gave him a tired smile. “ My father doesn’t beat me. Or my mom. Or Layla. I’m just accident prone. “

It was a lie, but she sold it well with nothing more than a touch. So long as it wasn’t abuse, Billy could live with that answer. Something told him that she wouldn’t lie about her father. He let her arm go and got out of the car, circling to the other side and opening the door for her. “ Okay, Okay. I’m sorry. “ She got out of the car. “ Can you blame me? You’re far from the emotionless zombie I met at Tina’s party. “

“ Zombie? “ She gave him a sarcastic look. “ Just because I wasn’t falling all over you, _that_ makes me a zombie? “

Billy shrugged and closed the car door. “ Look at you now. Laughing, all buddy-buddy with my family, yelling at me. “ He put an arm around her shoulders. “ Flirting. “

A pink blush crossed her face as she shook him off and walked a little faster ahead of him up the driveway. The thought crossed her mind that he might have a point. She spent her life learning to control her emotions, in order to separate herself from The Mind Flayer. Ever since the massive gate had been closed, the emotions of the monster had been hugely minimized. While she knew that open gates near her had a direct influence on her emotions, she wondered if the size of the gate had something to do with it as well. Kass had been treated as a breathing rift radar almost her entire life. They moved from town to town, working with local agents to close small gates that appeared every so often. Sure, she had always been serious to a degree, but needed to maintain her self control. It wasn’t an option. Perhaps the last year had been a particularly stoic one for her, considering how large the gate had grown.

Kass never thought Billy would be the one to spark a major self-realization, never thought that she might start to feel a little bit more like an actual human since childhood. “ Don’t get used to it. “ 

‘ Another lie, ‘ Billy mused as she unlocked the door. The house was enormous, and a very far cry from his own. Immediately, his mind was flooded with negative thoughts about his home and family. Her place was pristine and polished, dark wood and earthy tones throughout. As he gazed about, it almost looked fake, like a staged home. “ Nice place, “ he cooed.

“ Kass, is that you? “ David Ballard came around the corner quickly, taking an immediate step back when he saw Billy. There was something in his hand, but he hid it behind the wall, leaning against it casually. The very soft sound of a drawer opening and closing reached Billy’s ears, but he pretended not to hear. David came out in full force with his hand out. “ Who’s your friend? “ His voice was friendly, warm, and disarming.

Billy shook his hand firmly. “ Billy Hargrove. “

“ Friend from school, dad, “ She was as she walked past him into the dining room.

“ Nice to meet you, son. “ David was smiling from ear to ear. “ We don’t get to see too many of Kass’s friends around here. “ he leaned in and whispered exaggeratedly. “ She’s not very friendly “

“ And here I thought it was just me, “ Billy said with a laugh.

“ I’m mean, not deaf, “ She called from the other room. Laughter rang out in response. 

“ What are your plans tonight? “

“ I’m making Billy dinner, “ Kass said, returning from the other room. She had removed her jacket and replaced it with a white apron. It was the most domesticated she had ever looked, and he had to admit that she looked rather cute. Billy licked his lips before remembering he was in front of her father. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice. “ Are you going to be around? “

“ Sorry, kiddo, “ David said, walking over to her and placing a kiss on the side of her head. “ I’m actually on my way out. You kids have a nice night though ! “ He started heading to the door and paused. “ Don’t know when i’ll be back. “

The words hung in the air for a moment. Both Kass and Billy were digesting the information in very different ways. Kass had not realized that she would be alone in the house. It was the first time since her mother died that she would be alone. Layla staying the night at a friend’s was one thing, but now her father was leaving? Billy, on the other hand, was confused. Her dad was just going to leave? And not come back? 

“ Alright dad. Be safe out there. “ Kass smiled at her father and then left the room again, needing a moment to collect herself. 

David waved another goodbye to Billy and left, locking the door behind him. Billy was stupefied. He followed Kass into the dining room, which opened up to the kitchen. He found her washing a pot, so focused on the task at hand that she almost seemed on autopilot. He took the opportunity and slunk over to her quietly, footstep deliberate and soft. He could see she was really scrubbing and wondered briefly if she intended to scrub a hole into it. In a sudden movement, he grabbed her around the waist. She dropped the pot into the sink and quickly grabbed the edge of the counter, her knuckles turning white. Her first instinct had been to smash the pot into the side of his head, but Kass knew Billy was in the house. It took all of her self control not to retaliate and hurt him. Billy was laughing, thinking he had spooked her and never realizing how much danger he could have put himself in.

“ I couldn’t resist, “ He said through raucous laughter. Once he collected himself, he wiped a happy tear from his eye. “ You’re real cute when you’re mad. “

Kass huffed a bit and calmed down, essentially feeling like she had done a good job by not giving him a concussion. “ Real nice, Billy. “

He changed the subject. “ So, your dad is serious? He’s just going to leave us here? “

“ Why wouldn’t he? “

“ I’m a handsome guy, “ He wrapped his arms around her waist as she rinsed the pot off, pulling her body into his. “ You’re a pretty girl. “ 

Finishing with the pot, she filled it up with water and pulled out of his embrace to place it onto the stove, poker faced. “ My family doesn’t have time to care about stupid shit like that. “ Her choice of words struck him as odd.

“ He’s not worried about us? “

“ Worried? “ she turned to face him with a smug smile. “ Worried about us sleeping together? “ He gave her a wink in response, to which she rolled her eyes and laughed. “ No, he’s not worried about that. I doubt he even cares. “

“ You know how crazy that sounds, right? “ Kass was moving around the kitchen, grabbing various things. It looked like she was making pasta, to which he was not opposed. She purposely did not respond. “ If that’s the case, maybe I’ll stay the night. “ He walked over to the dining table in the other room and took a seat at the head of the table, turning it so he could still face her while she was cooking. Of course, Billy had a rule about staying the night. He was always gone before his partners woke up.

Kass was giving him the silent treatment. He watched her move around the kitchen, his imagination running wild with this new information. “ It’s my birthday, Kass. I really think you should be catering to me. “ He grinned and licked his lips again. “ And what i’d enjoy would be to see you cooking in that apron. Just the apron. “ He waggled his eyebrows at her when she turned to glare at him in a goofy manner. When she did not retort, he pouted a bit. “ Your dad is right. You’re not friendly at all. “

“ It took you this long to figure that out? “ 

Pasta was not a hard dish to cook, and before he knew it, she was already serving him. She set the table quickly, disposed of the apron, and placed a beer in front of him. “ Drinking, too? What next, cocaine? “

Kass popped open her can and raised it to him. “ Cheers. Happy Birthday, Billy. “ A sincere smile crossed her face. 

“ Cheers. “ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for hanging in with me, gang !   
Inspiration is a fickle mistress.


End file.
